Innovating For Inclusivity: Éder Advances Disability Accessibility at Dell Technologies Brazil

Éder S. | Innovation Project Manager | Brazil

Originally Published: July 14, 2023 

Innovation holds a unique meaning to each of us. Éder Soares, Innovation Project Manager, joined Dell Technologies in September 2011 to lead a project on researching and developing an affordable training solution for people with disabilities. This project generated such positive results that it gave rise to what would become LEAD, a Dell Research, Development, and Innovation Center in Brazil. LEAD aims to find innovative ways to use technologies and accessibility resources to empower underrepresented talent groups. He shares his perspective on innovation and how Dell innovates. 

What Innovation Means to Me: When I think of innovation, the following words pop into my mind: 1) Creativity 2) Sustainable 3) Disruption 4) Boldness 5) Restlessness For me, innovation represents the ability to overcome invisible barriers and challenge the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. It's driving change that results in significant improvements. It's including people where it once seemed unimaginable. Innovation is intrinsically linked to creating technologies that make society thrive.

How Innovation Comes to Life in My Role:

I constantly seek to foster an environment that inspires creativity, experimentation, and the search for different solutions. I keep up to date, promote the exchange of ideas and collaboration among my team, and am always open to innovative approaches and diverse perspectives. I believe that innovation flourishes when you cultivate an environment conducive to diversity and the exploration of new possibilities.

Dell is Prioritizing Innovation by:

1) Investing in continuous research

2) Valuing the training and qualification of its employees

3) Being open to new ideas and perspectives

4) Recognizing and values the innovative minds that drive the company

5) Creating and maintains a highly conducive environment for the development of innovative solutions 

LEAD Program is Prioritizing Innovation by:

At Dell, we believe that the secret lies in listening carefully to the needs of our customers (internal and external) and employees and seeking alternatives, technologies, and solutions that meet these demands. We invest significantly in research, which allows us to anticipate future needs and create new approaches to solve existing challenges. Our three research centers in Brazil, in Ceará, Rio de Janeiro, and Rio Grande do Sul, demonstrate our serious commitment to innovation. In Ceará, located in northeastern Brazil, where I'm based, we have LEAD, where we develop innovative technology solutions for people with disabilities.

Here are some of the solutions we have created: 1) Augmented Reality Training Arcade (ARTRADE) uses augmented reality glasses to train manufacturing team members with hearing impairments how to build devices. Machine learning and artificial intelligence also enable ARTRADE to evaluate performance, support training, conduct skill assessments, and rebalance. 2) Mobile Aware Intermodal Assistant (MAIA) is an application that makes speaker testing accessible on Dell laptops, using an algorithm that converts sounds into images displayed on a screen. MAIA also empowers team members with hearing loss to communicate with factory leaders via radio. 3) Website Accessibility Layer (WAL) provides functionality that makes webpages accessible for people with Daltonism, dyslexia, or visual impairments. Outside of Brazil, Dell offices in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Panama, and Germany also use WAL. 4) STEVE is an exoskeleton that makes standing work posts accessible for Dell's manufacturing team members in Brazil.

At Dell, progress takes innovation. How do you innovate? 

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