ENABLED Enhanced Network Accessibility for the Blind and Visually Impaired

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ENABLED Enhanced Network Accessibility for the
Blind and Visually Impaired

• Tim Pennick
• British Telecommunications Plc

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ENABLED Project Partners

• Queens University of Belfast United Kingdom
• Fundación LABEIN Spain
• Lunds Universitet Sweden
• Commissariat à l'énergie atomique France
• Tekever, lda Portugal
• Siemens Germany
• Kuratorium OFFIS e.V. Germany
• NetUnion Switzerland
• British Telecommunications Plc United Kingdom
• Soluziona Telecomunicaciones Spain
• CAS Software AG Germany
• Scalab Italy
• F.H. Papenmeier Germany

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Work Packages

• 4 RTD work packages
• Accessible Web Content
• Multi-Modal Adaptive Interfaces
• Mobile Computing
• Wireless Networking
• Supported by
• User Evaluation
• Training
• Dissemination,
• Exploitation
• Project management

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Accessibility Paradox

• Information now ubiquitous and plentiful
• Leading edge developments in many areas of
  network technology sometimes impede access to the
  potentially most useful services.

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ENABLED aims to

• Enhance access to the web
• Enhance access to information on the move

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Currently available interfaces

• Screen magnification (for people with some
  residual vision)
• Speech synthesis (cheap and readily available)
• Braille display
• Hard-copy embossed Braille (can be used for some
  types of images)

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Novel interfaces

• Force-feedback Haptic devices
• Spatial Audio
• Data Sonification

Audio maps
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Requirements for Improved Web Access

• Games
• Images
• graphs
• Maps
• 3-D objects

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Requirements for Mobile Computing

• 1. Navigation
• 2. Programmable
• 3. Reroutable
• 4. Take me home
• 5. Obstacle Avoidance
• 6. Traffic Lights
• 7. Emergency Communications
• 8. Timetables
• 9. Orientation
• 10. Implicit

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Mobile Computing Requirements filtered for
Technical Feasibility

• 1. GPS
• 2. Orientation
• 3. Points Of Interest
• 4. Alternative Interfaces
• 5. In-door and out-door operation

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Current Status

• Prototypes produced
• 18 month review

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The Future

• Integration of prototypes
• Evaluation
• Training

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Questions and answers
Thank you for your time and interest in our
project