Niishahn Taan

Low vision high-tech company Humanware has appointed Auckland-based account manager Niishahn Taan to look after New Zealand, Singapore and South-East Asia.

Living in New Zealand, since first coming here as a child with his family to escape the Tamil persecution in Sri Lanka’s civil war, Taan is a graduate in creative technologies from the Auckland University of Technology.

Creative technology is a fusion of engineering, technology and design, he says, which is Humanware in a nutshell. “Humanware is about giving back and helping people, and how technology can help do that, which is what attracted me to the company.”

Since being appointed last year, Taan says he’s most enjoying meeting and helping Humanware’s customers. “Many remind me of my grandparents who have both passed away, so it makes me feel like I’m helping my family members.”

Many of Humanware’s devices are an evolution in assisted-technology, he says, an evolution that is continuing as the devices become smaller, more affordable and smarter, to really change visually-impaired people’s lives.

Taan is working closely with New Zealand’s low vision charities and long-standing Humanware representative and Christchurch-based Kiwi low vision champion, Maurice Sloane from Vision Associates, who will be retiring later this year.