| EC/NSF workshop on universal accessibility of ubiquitous computing: providing for the elderly event report | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 1-10 | |
| Rachelle Heller; Joaquim Jorge; Richard Guedj | |||
| The workshop took place on Alcácer do Sal, Portugal from May 22nd to
May 25th, 2001 with the purpose to discuss approaches to universal usability
for the elderly constituency. Elderly citizens are a growing age group within
developed countries and their needs have been mostly ignored by Information
Technology and Computing as a whole. The surge of mobile communications and
universal access materialized in the push for UMTS in Europe provided a strong
leitmotif for this meeting. For the better part of a week, a group joining
twenty-six people from several different communities gathered to discuss
strategic issues arising from the new context. The aim is to provide strategic
inputs for major research programs in EU, USA and Japan. The present document
contains a summary account of the proceedings. Keywords: interface design, ubiquitous computing, universal accessibility, user
interfaces for the elderly | |||
| NSF funding for research on universal access | | BIB | Full-Text | 11-13 | |
| Ephraim P. Glinert | |||
| Web access for elderly citizens | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 14-18 | |
| Vicki L. Hanson | |||
| With elderly citizens becoming an increasingly large proportion of the
population in many countries, social as well as economic considerations suggest
that they must be considered in the development of current and future
technologies. This paper addresses issues of Internet access, and discusses a
research project designed to make the web more usable by elderly citizens. This
project uses a proxy server to transcode web pages according to user-specified
preferences and capabilities. Users access web pages as usual, with no
specialized hardware required. Keywords: aging, disabilities, internet, seniors, transcoding | |||
| The national initiative for people with special needs in the information society: the elderly, people with disabilities and long-term bed-ridden | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 19-23 | |
| Helena Abecasis; Jorge Fernandes | |||
| This article describes the work that has been done in Portugal with regard
to the Information Society and citizens with special needs (i.e. citizens with
disabilities, the elderly and the long-term bed-ridden) as a result of
legislation (government resolutions), Ministry of Science and Technology
policies (creating a special unit), participation in international initiatives
(on-line discussion forum on the eEurope document), and the implementation of a
plan of action, the basic goals of which were to provide accessibility to the
Information Society for these citizens: access to the Internet, adapting or
creating accessibility to initiatives being implemented as part of the
Information Society to make them as inclusive as possible, and providing these
citizens with infrastructures, equipment and training in new technologies. It
is essential to look to the future in terms of full use of all the potential of
the new technologies, when it comes to both products and services. Keywords: accessibility kits, assistive technologies, disabled, elderly,
info-inclusion, internet posts for all, telematic networks, universal design,
web accessibility | |||
| Involving all in design for all | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 24-25 | |
| Leon van Noorden | |||
| This paper proposes to improve knowledge of user experience issues in the
general population. Keywords: human factors education, usability criteria, user experience | |||
| Challenges for multimodal interfaces towards anyone anywhere accessibility: a position paper | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 26-27 | |
| Pedro Branco | |||
| The relatively recent research field of multimodal interaction addresses the
integration of the different communication channels between human and computer
with the goal of providing a more accessible and less encumbering interface.
Through this position paper, it is the author's intention to emphasize the use
of and challenges for multimodal interaction technology as a mean to achieve
universal accessibility -- Anyone, Anywhere. Keywords: collaborative applications, human-computer interaction, multimodal
interfaces, universal accessibility | |||
| Use of the multimedia taxonomy for a research direction into design and evaluation of materials for the elderly | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 28-30 | |
| Rachelle S. Heller | |||
| This paper describes the use of a multimedia taxonomy in developing and in
evaluating interactive multimedia products. The taxonomy identifies three axis,
one describing the various formats of media: text, sound, image and motion; one
describing the form of the media: elaboration, representation and abstract; and
a third describing the context for the product: quality, interactivity,
discipline area, audience, usability and aesthetics. Designers can use the
taxonomy to brainstorm presentation and combination of media. Evaluators can
use the taxonomy to insure that all paths and concerns are reviewed, using any
review guidelines familiar to the evaluator. Keywords: computer human interaction, design, evaluation, multimedia | |||
| A neuroscience-based design of intelligent tools for the elderly and disabled | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 31-36 | |
| Tohru Ifukube | |||
| The author has developed one basic research approach for universal
accessibility over a period of 28 years. As reviewed in this paper, he and his
co-researchers have designed several intelligent tools for universal
accessibility as well as obtained many basic findings concerning neuroscience
of human information processing. Some of the tools have been manufactured in
Japan and the technologies as well as the basic findings have been applied to
construct human-centered computer interfaces such as virtual reality, automatic
speech recognition and speech syntheses. Moreover, these newly developed
computer interface technologies have led to the improvement in the design of
models for developing universal accessibility devices. Lastly, the author has
emphasized that a neuroscience-based design of intelligent tools for the
elderly and disabled may open a large market. Keywords: artificial larynx, digital hearing aid, information technology, screen
reader, speech recognition, tactile communication, the disabled, the elderly,
universal accessibility, virtual reality | |||
| Ubiquitous computing and AI towards an inclusive society | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 37-40 | |
| Daniel Jorge Viegas Gonçalves | |||
| Elder citizens are faced with a large number of problems on their everyday
lives. Loss of motor, sensorial and cognitive skills results in a growing
difficulty to live and interact in today's society. Ubiquitous computing can
help alleviate these problems, by allowing elders to have a normal life despite
their shortcomings. Medical monitoring, communication and memory aids are
already being developed. However, the large amount of data produced by those
devices is of little use if not subject to some kind of analysis. Some
Artificial Intelligence areas such as Knowledge Representation, Learning and
Automated Planning can be used with success to improve what can be learned from
the data. This will open the door for a wide range of applications that will
adapt to the needs of each user and greatly improve the quality of life of
elders. Keywords: artificial intelligence, automated planning, elders, integration, knowledge
representation, ubiquitous computing | |||
| EMBASSI: multimodal assistance for universal access to infotainment and service infrastructures | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 41-50 | |
| Thomas Kirste; Thorsten Herfet; Michael Schnaider | |||
| EMBASSI is a joint research project with 19 partners from industry and
academia. Its focus is the development new paradigms and architectures for the
intuitive interaction with technical infrastructures of the everyday life, such
as home entertainment and control, public terminals, and car infotainment
systems. As a so-called focus project, EMBASSI is funded by the German Ministry
of Education and Research (BMBF) and addresses innovative methods of
man-machine interaction, where "machine" explicitly refers to technical systems
consisting of a variety of distributed, networked devices.
EMBASSI aims at enhancing the interaction with these infrastructures by providing intelligent assistance, multimodal interaction, and anthropomorphic user interfaces within a unified framework. Technical development in EMBASSI is based on a user centered approach, with accompanying psychological and ergonomics research. A primary objective of the project is to establish an "EMBASSI layer" that extends recently developed networking standards like HAVi, UPnP, or Konnex towards user-centered, goal-based interaction by merging experiences from knowledge based AI systems with those coming from device oriented command and control architectures. This layer will enable the unification of interaction paradigms and will assist the user by enabling "natural" or "intuitive" commands instead of forcing the user to think in terms of device functions. Keywords: assistance, man-machine interaction, multi (poly-)modal interaction,
multi-media, semantic protocol | |||
| Delivering instructions for inherently-3D construction tasks: lessons and questions for universal accessibility | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 51-55 | |
| Laura Leventhal | |||
| The notion that usability follows from the three dimensions, user, system
and task, is not new. Clearly any model of effective user-centered design
includes some focus on task; our work is an attempt to refine this notion. In
this paper, I discuss a class of problems that we have dubbed inherently-3D
construction tasks. These tasks should lend themselves to dual presentations,
particularly those that include user-controlled 3D models or realistic videos.
The results of several studies are described; the results indicate that dual
presentations are effective at presenting instructions for inherently-3D
construction tasks. When embedded in dual presentations, 3D models may be
effective in presenting instructions for these types of tasks as well, so long
as users make use of the models. A number of discussion questions are posited
as to how this work would transfer to a wider population of users than was
included in the studies that are reported. Keywords: dual presentations, inherently-3D construction tasks, multiple
representations, user-centered design, user-controlled 3D models, virtual
reality | |||
| Broadband access technologies | | BIBA | Full-Text | 56-59 | |
| J. Velez; A. Lourenço; C. Pechirra; L. Almeida | |||
| In the last two decades, we witnessed a revolution beyond our wildest
predictions: the computer shrank in size and current demand, got immense
processing capabilities, and left the Banking and Military premises to enter
virtually in everyone's home. Till some years ago, the telecommunication
infrastructures didn't make the same way along, but this scenario changed
dramatically meanwhile.
It's that evolution we'll try to explain in this document. | |||
| Interface design for older adults | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 60-65 | |
| Mary Zajicek | |||
| As computers become available in more places and situations, particularly
with increased use of the Web to disseminate information, it becomes
increasingly necessary for older adults, and by this I mean people over 70, to
gain access.
This paper investigates the factors that seem to inhibit Web use by older adults, and explores aspects of human-computer interface design, which accommodate older users with age-associated disabilities. These disabilities typically include memory impairment, and cognitive and visual impairment, all of which vary from day to day and over longer time periods within an individual. Memory and good sight are crucial for using today's Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) with small buttons, multitasking windows and the requirement to build strategies at the interface in order to complete tasks. This paper draws upon the author's experience in designing a Web browser for visually impaired user's called BrookesTalk, which was subsequently customised for older adults with memory loss. It also shows the need for Design for Dynamic Diversity (DDD), an interface design approach, which accommodates design issues which come about as a result of changing user requirements related to older users' changing abilities. Keywords: design for dynamic diversity, interface design, memory impairment, older
adults, speech output, visual impairment, web access | |||
| Adaptive tools for the elderly: new devices to cope with age-induced cognitive disabilities | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 66-70 | |
| Joaquim A. Jorge | |||
| We look at the issues and methodologies needed to develop, deploy, and
evaluate situation-aware mobile computing devices that adapt to the needs of
elder users based on observed or predicted user behavior and needs. This paper
discusses how pervasive computing can help the aging population live
independently for as long as possible. We believe that successfully applying
technology to this problem will require careful studies of how the target
population actually lives and what their actual needs are. We propose a
combination of traditional laboratory studies and surveys, as well as the use
of instrumented spaces and personal monitoring devices to measure how people
behave, normally and while using proposed assistive devices. A key requirement
is the development of ways to simultaneously monitor signals from the body,
activities, and social interactions to provide a more complete view of
individuals and their lives. Some of the core research issues are machine
learning to design devices learn from and adapt to user behavior, user-computer
interaction to build devices and systems that support users in their tasks,
mobile computing to support user and device mobility, mobility and data
management to represent, access, update, and protect information, sensing
devices that monitor human activity and finally rapid prototyping of services
in a sensor-rich environment, in a scalable and secure manner. Keywords: HCI, age-induced cognitive disabilities, mobile assistants, ubiquitous
computing | |||
| Designing robust multimodal systems for universal access | | BIBA | Full-Text | 71-74 | |
| Sharon Oviatt | |||
| Multimodal interfaces are being developed that permit our highly skilled and
coordinated communicative behavior to control system interactions in a more
transparent and flexible interface experience than ever before. As applications
become more complex, a single modality alone does not permit varied users to
interact effectively across different tasks and usage environments [11].
However, a flexible multimodal interface offers people the choice to use a
combination of modalities, or to switch to a better-suited modality, depending
on the specifics of their abilities, the task, and the usage conditions.
This paper will begin by summarizing some of the primary advantages of multimodal interfaces. In particular, it will discuss the inherent flexibility of multimodal interfaces, which is a key feature that makes them suitable for universal access and mobile computing. It also will discuss the role of multimodal architectures in improving the robustness and performance stability of recognition-based systems. Data will be reviewed from two recent studies in which a multimodal architecture suppressed errors and stabilized system performance for accented nonnative speakers and during mobile use. The paper will conclude by discussing the implications of this research for designing multimodal interfaces for the elderly, as well as the need for future work in this area. | |||
| Electromyography based human-computer-interface to induce movement in elderly persons with movement impairments | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 75-79 | |
| Krista Coleman | |||
| An electromyography (EMG) based Human-Computer-Interface (HCI) has been
developed and tested with persons who are predominantly older and who have
movement impairments. The core requirements for the HCI are: 1) easy and
intuitive to use by both a rehabilitation therapist and the patient 2)
applicable for any part of the patient's body and 3) supportive of therapeutic
rehabilitation goals. Keywords: EMG, HCI, rehabilitation, technology induced movement(TIM) | |||
| Development of a new robotic interface for telerehabilitation | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 80-83 | |
| Corinna E. Lathan; Sharon Malley | |||
| A system was developed to use gestural interface technology and interactive
robotics to facilitate motor development, functional mobility, and speech and
language development of children with a wide range of disabilities. The
prototype Gestural Interface and Robotic Technology system is an interactive
robotic rehabilitation tool, disguised as a toy, which can be controlled via
almost any part of the body, through voice-activation, or through a Web-enabled
computer interface. Children with disabilities will be able to increase
abilities using a playful, therapeutic toy, for various applications that can
be programmed by parents, teachers, and therapists. Keywords: HCI, pediatrics, rehabilitation, robotics, telemedicine | |||
| Open syntax: improving access for all users | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 84-89 | |
| Robert J. K. Jacob | |||
| Trends in new multi-modal user interfaces and pervasive mobile computing are
raising technical problems for building flexible interfaces that can adapt to
different communication modes. I hope to show how some aspects of the technical
solutions that will be needed for these problems will also help to solve
problems of access for elderly users. Keywords: dialogue independence, multi-modal interaction, semantics, syntax, universal
access, user interface management system | |||
| Designing for dynamic diversity: making accessible interfaces for older people | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 90-92 | |
| Peter Gregor; Alan F. Newell | |||
| In this paper, we describe why designers need to look beyond the twin aims
of designing for the 'typical' user and designing "prostheses." Making
accessible interfaces for older people is a unique but many faceted challenge.
Effective applications and interface design needs to address the dynamic
diversity of the human species. We introduce a new design paradigm, Design for
Dynamic Diversity, and a methodology to assist its achievement, User Sensitive
Inclusive Design. Keywords: HCI, design for all, design for dynamic diversity, universal accessibility,
usability engineering, user sensitive inclusive design | |||
| Universal access to mobile telephony as a way to enhance the autonomy of elderly people | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 93-99 | |
| Julio Abascal; Antón Civit | |||
| The rise of mobile telephony has opened a vast diversity of new
opportunities for older people with different levels of physical restrictions
due to ageing. Mobile technology allows not only ubiquitous communications but
also anytime access to some services that are vital for elderly people's
security and autonomy. Nevertheless, with the numerous advantages, remote
services can also introduce important social and ethical risks for this group
of users. This paper tries to analyse the novelties that mobile technology may
introduce into the lives of older users, points out some dangers and challenges
arising from the use of these technologies and revises some future applications
of the present mobile technologies. Keywords: assistive technology, mobile communications, ubiquitous computing, universal
design | |||
| Designing user interfaces for severely handicapped persons | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 100-106 | |
| João Brisson Lopes | |||
| This paper addresses the many factors involved in the design of user
interfaces for elderly persons and persons with severe disabilities. Interface
design must take into consideration new user requirements on top of the
requirements of normal users and consider the wider range of user model
parameters that must be accommodated to provide adaptation to the user. The
paper stresses the great diversity of user needs and questions how such user
needs can be met.
An example from the ongoing INTERCOMUNICANDO project is presented. A simple game interface was developed and tested to acquire parameters for an advanced user model of severely disabled persons. The results show the need for highly parameterised applications and the need for further research to design frameworks and tools to enable support of many different levels of users by applications. Keywords: accessibility, disability, disabled persons, elderly persons, interface
design, special user interfaces, user adaptation | |||
| Some reflections on IT | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 107-110 | |
| J. Unji Yamaguchi | |||
| In this paper, we examine IT as a technology. We try to investigate negative
implications of IT, both socially and morally so that we can eliminate or, at
least, find remedies for, as many harmful elements as we can perceive before
the damages are done. We ponder upon the ethics of capitalism fearing that the
free market system will collapse if we act unethically. We believe IT will help
accelerate the process. The question is how to integrate and enhance human
values and fundamental rights through innovation. In the case of the elderly,
difficulties arise with the memory; the elderly more or less suffer from
decline of semantic memory. To overcome this loss of memory we propose a
scheme: the multimedia triad reference system: this will not only help the
elderly express themselves with ease and sophistication, but also assist them
in learning interactive cross-references between multi-modal meanings.
Examples are from the Japanese culture tradition for short poems of waka and haiku. The phenomenon indicates that the desire to express oneself not only enhances one's quality of life but also is closely connected to one's self esteem and dignity. Based upon this philosophy, the proposed thesaurus classifies some 10,000 kigo or season words, which play an important role in composing haiku, and carries as many words and phrases that are used in waka. In conclusion, UA (Universal Accessibility) will soon have to mean accessibility for people of the order of billion. We must learn from the past and mean to be multilingual and multicultural. Keywords: learn from the past, multicultural-multilingual, multimedia triad reference
system, sense of reality, universal accessibility | |||
| Law and regulation to include elderly in innovations stream | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 111-114 | |
| Richard A. Guedj | |||
| In this paper we explore the issue of a systematic and seamless way to link
future innovations in Information Technology and segments of the population
that might -- for different reasons of deficiencies -- be left aside from
advanced services coming with those innovations.
The approach is to try to transpose and extend the current concepts of universal access and of universal service mission from the context of Telecommunications to the context of ubiquitous computing and the elderly. This approach owes much for the data and historical perspective to an essay by Robert M. Frieden (2000), [1] on universal service in telecommunications (in the USA). In this position paper, the notions of Technological Change and Technological Convergence are presented and their main characteristics described. The concepts of universal access and universal service mission are viewed in the historical context of the world of telecommunications. Several implications are drawn; in particular why the universal service in telecommunications is bound to evolve and new answers to shape legislative and regulatory policies must be found. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 -- which reflects the present legislative situation (in the USA) -- is briefly sketched with its implications on universal access to telecommunications services. A proposal of legislative action on two levels -- immediate and long term -- is made. In conclusion, taking the example of the Patent Act, a general spirit of balance of incentives and obligations is recommended for action on legislation towards ensuring enhanced services for segments of population with some deficiencies. Keywords: elderly people, enhanced services, incentives and obligations, intellectual
property rights, law, patent law, principles (to base universal service),
regulation, technological innovations, ubiquitous computing, universal access,
universal service | |||
| One content, three devices, the same need: access to information by people with special needs | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 115-119 | |
| Jorge Fernandes | |||
| In our days the PC, the TV and the telephone, mainly the mobile phones, will
be the privileged equipment to accede to the information. How the information
can draw to serves the needs of each one of these equipment? It will be this
possible? How to make compatible the necessities of each one, in a standard one
that it serves at all? Will not have been always this the question when we
spoke about citizens with special needs? Who is special? The citizens or the
devices they use? How to obtain this Standardization? The hurry of industry to
put products on the market will forget the standards need? And the users, what
it is that they ask for?
This paper it presents 3 documents: the first one arrests with an effort of implementation of the web accessibility guidelines (on the basis of the WAI) in the Portuguese Public Administration. The second guidelines is resulted of public consultation and international gauging of that the users need to use the digital television and the last document mentions the third generation of mobile phones. In a word, as the users can usufruct of a constitutional law: that is the right to access to information. Keywords: DVB-T, MHP, PC, UMTS, access, design for all, digital video broadcast,
disabled, elderly, guidelines, impairment, information, multimedia home
platform, personal computer, total conversation, web | |||
| Assessment of metaphor efficacy in user interfaces for the elderly: a tentative model for enhancing accessibility | | BIBAK | Full-Text | 120-124 | |
| Muna Khalil Yousef | |||
| This paper describes the challenges faced by designers in creating
accessible systems for the elderly. CARSE, an assessment tool, which has been
synthesized and empirically validated of the semantic efficacy of interface
metaphor, is used to evaluate two systems that were designed for elderly use.
In addition, the paper outlines a tentative model for the design of accessible
systems for the elderly. Keywords: accessibility, elderly, interface metaphors | |||