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Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo – That's how he rolls

Deaf through everyday life – with smartphone and software

26.07.2023

For deaf people like Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo, it is small or invisible devices that make all the difference in everyday life. These include smartphones with apps and other software. But development is stalling in some areas. Where he would like to see more inventiveness and how he rolls otherwise, he tells us on REHACARE.com.
Photo: Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo smiles into the camera with his arms folded; Copyright: Daniel Cati
Name: Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo
Age: 37
City: Berlin, Germany
Occupation: Entrepreneur, interpreter and consultant
Disability: Deafness

What makes a day a good day to you?

Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo: A good iced coffee tastes even better when all the members of my family are healthy. And it fills me with joy when I accomplish many things in one day.

Which auxiliary means or daily living aids are indispensable for you?

Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo: My iPhone is an indispensable companion in my daily life. Thanks to the app "Make it big", I can communicate well in writing with people outdoors. In addition, work assistance allows me to progress professionally faster and more effectively by making the best use of my skills.

What would you like to see from society and your fellow people in dealing with people with disabilities?

Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo: That the society informs itself comprehensively about disabilities and barriers, seeks advice and considers accessible implementation from the very beginning of the entire process.

Which assistive device would urgently need to be invented and/or improved?

Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo: Software that can understand sign languages and translate them into written languages must be invented.

Gif animation: REHACARE 2025 from 17 to 20 September 2025 in Düsseldorf/Germany, linked to "More information about the Trade Fair"
Photo: Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo stands at a counter and looks at a laptop; Copyright: Daniel Cati

Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo is responsible for three (German) websites: taubenschlag.de, manua.de and nicht-stumm.de.

What has been your biggest challenge so far that you have mastered – and what has helped you?

Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo: In 2009, I went on a ten-month trip to Asia and travelled to different countries such as India, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan. During this trip, both my confidence and the support of my family helped me.

What can the assistive technology industry learn from the Corona pandemic to make life easier and/or better for people with disabilities in the future?

Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo: The assistive technology industry should become more digital and advanced, offering products that can be connected to smartphones and smarthome systems.

If nothing was impossible: Who would you like to meet one day and why?

Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo: Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck have both led Die Grünen (German political party) in a new direction and impress me with their steadfastness when it comes to representing their own positions and values – despite the need for political compromises.

What was your best REHACARE experience?

Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo: I haven't had the opportunity to be there yet, unfortunately, but I would be very happy to go there one day.

What I wanted to say...

Benedikt Sequeira Gerardo: Various aids, such as flash units for deaf people, do not correspond to today's technical standards and are often outdated. My own flash equipment often tends to stop working. I feel there is a lack of innovative inventiveness in the industry.

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