Universal Design and Assistive Technology

Providing access and assistance to people with special needs.

Part 4 Presentation

20 minutes each (including questions) Load slides onto swiki

Motivation Requirements

• learning from users Design

• learning from prototyping• possible demo

Evaluation Conclusions Q&A

Motivations

Legal RequirementsSection 508 1973/1986 Rehabilitation

Act1990 Americans with Disabilities Act

1/5 Americans have a disability, 1/10 have a severe disability*

Everyone is impaired sometimes Intriguing interface challenges

*2000 US Census Brief

Universal design principles

equitable use flexibility in use simple and intuitive to use perceptible information tolerance for error low physical effort size and space for approach and use

http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/univ_design/princ_overview.htm

Multi-Sensory Systems

More than one sensory channel in interaction e.g. sounds, text, hypertext, animation, video,

gestures, vision Used in a range of applications:

particularly good for users with special needs, and virtual reality

 Will cover general terminology speech non-speech sounds handwriting

considering applications as well as principles

Multi-modal vs. Multi-media

Multi-modal systems use more than one sense (or mode ) of

interactione.g. visual and aural senses: a text processor may speak the words as well as echoing them to the screen

Multi-media systems use a number of different media to communicate

informatione.g. a computer-based teaching system:may use video, animation, text and still images: different media all using the visual mode of interaction; may also use sounds, both speech and non-speech: two more media, now using a different mode

Usable Senses

The 5 senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell) are used by us every day each is important on its own together, they provide a fuller interaction with the natural world

Computers rarely offer such a rich interaction

Can we use all the available senses? ideally, yes practically – no

We can use • sight • sound • touch (sometimes)

We cannot (yet) use • taste • smell

Challenge

Very hard to design a product for everyone What happens when you can’t? “Design for all” vs. “Design for most” Assistive technology

Any item, equipment or system, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a person with a disability

Access

Access to GUIs for the blindspeechBraille

Alternate input devicessip&puff, single switch

Prosthetic

Communication for speech impaired

Sign language translators

Educational software for cognitive impairments

Users with disabilities

visual impairment screen readers, SonicFinder

hearing impairment text communication, gesture, captions

physical impairment speech I/O, eyegaze, gesture, predictive systems (e.g.

Reactive keyboard) speech impairment

speech synthesis, text communication dyslexia

speech input, output autism

communication, education

http://enablemart.com/

… plus …

age groups older people e.g. disability aids, memory aids,

communication tools to prevent social isolation children e.g. appropriate input/output devices,

involvement in design process cultural differences

influence of nationality, generation, gender, race, sexuality, class, religion, political persuasion etc. on interpretation of interface features

e.g. interpretation and acceptability of language, cultural symbols, gesture and colour

We’re all disabled

Environment Fatigue Injury Aging Changing role of information

technology

Example:

Sheila the programmer. She was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in her early 20's. This condition, which results in progressive loss of muscular strength, means that she works from her motorized wheelchair, and is unable to sit upright for more than a brief time. As a result, she works in a reclined position, leaning back almost horizontally. Her vision problems limit the amount of time she can focus on the screen, and her muscular weakness prevents her from handling paper

manuals.

http://www.sun.com/access/developers/updt.HCI.advance.html#design

Another example:

Carla the secretary. She has no vision in one eye and "tunnel vision" in the other and prepares documents using a standard PC and screen magnification software. Sometimes she is unable to tell the difference between old and new email messages, because her mail application uses color to distinguish old from new. Like many users with low vision, she has problems working with columns, because it is difficult for her to see if text is aligned.

http://www.sun.com/access/developers/updt.HCI.advance.html#design

What is a physical disability?

Range of Physical ImpairmentsComplete lack of function

absence of a limb paralysis – usually due to spinal injury, the

higher the damage the greater the degree of paralysis

• tetraplegia/quadriplegia – all four limbs• paraplegia – lower limbs only

Lack of strengthTremor/lack of accuracySlowness

Keyboard Modifications

Keyguards Alternative layouts

Reduce movementOne-handed keyboards, possible

chords Membrane surfaces (minimize

required pressure)

Software Modifications

Sticky keys Slow keys or disable auto-repeat Modify keyboard mappings On-screen keyboards

Alternative Input Devices

Speech inputDictation versus control

SwitchesKeyboard has approx 50 switchesScanning interfaces

Possible Switches

Foot pedal “Leaf” switch – highly sensitive Sip and puff Dual switch (can be used for Morse code) Joy stick Muscle switch Neural implant Eye gaze

http://enablemart.com/productdetail.aspx?store=10&pid=581&dept=15

Scanning Interfaces

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Acceleration Techniques

Control macros Word prediction Abbreviations

Mouse alternatives

Trackball Proportional joystick Switched joystick or cursor keys Head sensor or mouth stick Eye-gaze Keyboard only

http://enablemart.com/productDetail.aspx?store=10&pid=998&dept=12

Vision

Low-vision Color blindness Blindness

affordances of different mediainterface modelspecial purpose doesn’t workchallenge of generality

Incidence of visual disability

The vast majority of visually disabled people have some sight

Myopia and Hypermetropia

Myopia Hypermetropia (short-sighted) (far-sighted)

Macular degeneration

Diabetic retinopathy

Cataracts

Tunnel vision

Accommodating Partial Sight Large monitor, high resolution, glare

protection Control of color and contrast Control of font size everywhere Keyboard orientation aids

Magnification not always a help

‘Now is the time,’

the Walrus said,

‘To spea

Hardware or Software Magnification 2 to 16 times Virtual screen Viewport, control Notification of “outside” events CRTs for physical items

http://www.synapseadaptive.com/aisquared/zoomtext_9/zoomtext_9_home_page.htm

Accommodating Blind Users

Screen ReadersFull-featuredCursor-tracking, routingDialogue focusView areas

Auditory or tactile output

http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software_jaws.asphttp://www.webaim.org/simulations/screenreader

Screen Reader Output

BrailleOnly 10%?Many Braille codesReal and virtual displays

Tactile pads Synthesized speech

http://www.mountbattenbrailler.com/

Access to Graphical User Interfaces Capture and model graphical interface Translate graphical objects Support efficient and intuitive

interaction

Hearing

Redundant outputhardware (flashing title bar)software (text to speech)

An increasing problem?PopulationPhone interfaces

Deafness

Communication aidsSign languageSpeech trainingWriting aids

Preventable form of mental retardationImportance of language development

Seeing Voices (Sacks)

Sign Language

Sign languages are true languages Syntax, semantics, pragmatics

Differ dramatically from oral-based languages Many different sign languages

American (ASL) close to French Sign Language but different than British (BSL)

Signed Exact English for one-to-one translation

Minicoms and TDDs

“Universal” telephone technology Text terminal (keyboard, LED display,

modem) Deaf relay centers

TypeTalk Automation?

Most significant new communication device is…

The mobile phone …with SMS

Sidekicks, Blackberry, etc. – extremely popular

Computing Assistance

Translators Speech to signSign to speech

• Gesture recognitionNeed sign language grammars

Video phones Word processors (Write This Way) Speech training (Speech Viewer, IBM)

Speech & Conversation

Conversation is “a dialogue in which the one taking breath is called the listener”

150 words/minute High-speed input for people with limited

manual dexterity Predictive interface, stored phrases, iconic

boards Chat

Generating Words

Method Words per minute

Conversational speech 150

Skilled copy typist 100

Composing typist 50

One-finger typist 10

Scanning input device 3 – 5

Input Techniques

Word boards Switch input Scanning techniques Predictive input

Speech Synthesis

Quality of synthetic speech

Similarity to human speech

Cognitive Impairments

Memory Perception Problem-solving Learning impairments

redundant input-output, motivation Language impairments

dyslexia (spelling corrector) aphasia (symbolic languages)

Everyday impairments - in-place information Writing Home

Impaired Mental Capabilities

Memory Short or long term, recall and recognition

Perception Attention, discriminating sensory input

Problem Solving Recognizing the problem, implementing

solutions and evaluation Concepts

Generalizing, skill development

Common Causes

Learning disability Head injury or stroke Alzheimer’s Dementia

Design Guidelines

Input / Interface Controlex: touchpad, prompts and menus

Presentation Formatex: blank space to focus attention

Informational Content and Promptingex: match vocabulary level to user

Learning Impairment

Infinite patience Risk-free environment Accommodate cognitive impairment Motivate

Who are older people?

People who have been alive for longer That’s about all they have in common

Potential Declining Abilities

Physical Sensory Cognition

Cognitive ageingRetrospective memory

Computing no longer limited to the workplace

Assistive Uses

Sensory aids Memory aids Mobile emergency alerts Information access

ThirdAge (www.thirdage.com) Social communication

SeniorNet (www.seniornet.com)

Universal design principles

equitable use flexibility in use simple and intuitive to use perceptible information tolerance for error low physical effort size and space for approach and use

http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/univ_design/princ_overview.htm

Guideline summary

http://www.sun.com/access/developers/updt.HCI.advance.html#design

Direct Brain Interfaces

Melody MooreComputer Information Systems Dept.

What is a Direct Brain-Computer Interface?

… a system that captures signals directly from the human brain, providing a channel to control computers and other devices.

The GSU BrainLab Missionis to pioneer real-world applications research for biometric technologies to improve the quality of life for people with severe disabilities, and to explore mainstream applications.

Brain Signal Detection Techniques

Invasive: implanted electrodes (single neuron)

Noninvasive: scalp electrodes (EEG)

Neural Internet

Neurally controlled Internet Access:Specialized web browser and email programUses: • communication• shopping• education• handling of personal finances• employment

Restoring Motion - Neural Prosthetics

Brain “re-learns” how to move limbs via an artificial nervous system

Simulation

• Virtual reality hand

Restoring Physical Motion

• Robotic arm

The “Aware ‘Chair”

Integrated communication and environmental control

• Intelligent, neurally controlled wheelchair

• Conversation and environmental control prediction

• Learns users habits and context

• Provides emotional expression

Take home points

Think about universal design principles – helps all users, not just disabled

Technology can help provide access and control of computer

Technology can also help people function better in everyday world

Solutions include wide range of physical and software solutions

Work with users! You can’t understand what its like