For Otto Knoke, the self-described “oldest nerd in Guatemala,” every day is a gift—and one that he pays back to the best of his abilities every day. Twenty years ago, right around the same time this high-tech early adopter was making a name for himself by modernizing the Guatemalan banking industry, Knoke was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and given only two years to live.
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Never one to back down from a challenge, Knoke began researching how technology could help him overcome his condition and thrive a determination and drive which have paid off.
Once an avid cyclist, weightlifter and tennis player, Knoke lost use of his hands and arms first, which meant he couldn’t hold a cane to support his weakening legs. So, he’d tuck his arm under his wife’s, and she propelled him forward.
His symptoms progressed slowly, allowing him to keep his job as a chief executive officer in the banking industry for 12 years. He retired in 2010 when he began losing his voice, making it difficult to communicate with his board of directors.
But he didn’t stop working; he simply moved his office home and became a data analyst, helping non-profits and small- to medium-sized companies use new business intelligence tools to get value from their data.
Today, after beating the odds and surviving the disease for nearly two decades, Knoke has become the first person in Guatemala to use Microsoft’s new eye-tracking software for Windows 10, called Eye Control, enabling him to literally type with his eyes.
But what’s even more impressive is that he uses Eye Control to operate Microsoft BI to analyze his clients’ business data and uncover insights that ultimately help improve their operations.
Eye Control makes Windows 10 more reachable by empowering people with disabilities to operate an onscreen mouse, keyboard, and text-to-speech experience using only their eyes. The experience requires a compatible eye tracker, like the Tobii 4C, which unlocks access to the Windows OS to be able to perform the tasks one could previously accomplish with a physical mouse and keyboard.
Windows 10 users can perform tasks which previously required using physical mouse and keyboard. With native eye tracking support now in Windows 10, users are empowered to use just their eyes to utilize Windows features, including typing and moving of the mouse cursor.
For Knoke, this revolutionary Microsoft technology has not only helped him continue working as before and allowed his own business to thrive, but more important, it’s enabled him to communicate more meaningfully with his loved ones and strengthen those relationships. Learn Otto Knoke’s full story by watching this truly fascinating and inspiring video.
Otto Knoke, the “oldest nerd in Guatemala,” has suffered from ALS for 20 years. Today, at age 60, he is the first person in the country to use Microsoft’s new eye-tracking software for Windows 10 to type with his eyes and use PowerBI to analyze business data for his clients.
Watch this inspiring video to learn his story, then contact AhaApps to discover how Microsoft Business Intelligence tools can help modernize your business.
At AhaApps we believe that if you are determined to usher a new era of change, using business tools will become a cakewalk despite the hurdles. Connect with us to understand how these modern age business solutions can help you.