Greetings:
Warning, the following post is a bit long. However, I thought
people would like to know what Gregg Vanderheiden of the Trace
R&D Center is working on. This was originally posted to the EASI
list--at least, that's where I picked it up. The post covers
infrared standards, touch screens, ATM's, etc.
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Date: Mon, 13 Feb 1995 21:26:06 -0600
From: "Gregg C. Vanderheiden" <GCVander@FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Automatic Teller Machine access
a couple of notes
RE: Infra Red or IR connections
There is a new IR standard which is coming out of an organization called
IRDA for the Infra-Red Data Association. It is an organization of about 80
firms including IBM, Apple, HP and many others. They have developed an IR
standard that will be built into portable microcomputers, hand held PDA
(personal digital assistants), possibly Windows 95 etc. It requires about
four dollars in hardware according to their press releases to equip a PC
with IR capability.
We are trying to put together a cooperative effort to extend this standard
so that it can meet the needs of people with who are blind or have physcial
disabilities. The idea would be to have a small IR link on every Kiosk,
ATM or building directory or other electronic information system. The link
would be intended to allow the connection of special input devices or
displays which could be used in place of the standard input and output
devices on the systems (e.g. the keypad, touchscreen, video display) This
would allow people with physical disabilities to use alternate input
devices and people who were blind or deaf blind to use alternate input and
output devices. We would also like to coordinate with "talking sing"
developers to see if IR link could also be used to "Locate" electronic info
systems.
By basing the standard on IRDA there would be a wealth of personal
computers with the IR coupler already built into them. Also, there are
other uses that people without disabilities could use the IR link for. For
example, balancing their electronic checkbooks, downloading information to
their computer instead of printing it out. This ability to download
information to their personal devices or computers that would ordinarily be
printed on a piece of paper would be of particular benefit for users who
were blind since a printed output would be a rather limited value.
There are a number of interesting questions that need to be addressed and
also great potential.
For those interested there will be a first meeting of the cooperative
effort at CSUN. Mark Novak from Trace and Neil Scott of CSLI will
co-chair. Contact Mark at MENOVAK@FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU for details and time.
For those that cannot attend we will also be setting up a working group
listserve on the cooperative IR link effort so that people can participate
and contribute even if they can't make it to conferences where it is
discussed. When the working group listserve is set up we'll post a brief
note on this listserve with the address.
I think the IR link approach holds great potential, but like John Nissen, I
am concerned that if we don't get together and help guide or input to the
efforts being made in industry, we will find it once again set in concrete
before the needs of people with disabilities are considered. (curbs poured
before curbcuts are considered).
Anyway, if you are at CSUN and interested, stop on by. If you have info or
have written something up on this already, pls send to Mark in advance so
we can compile everything and put it up on the net for everyone - and or
bring on diskette to the meeting. His email again is
MENOVAK@FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU You can also FTP things to us at
trace.wisc.edu/incoming. Let Mark know if you do.
John (Nissen), any chance you will be at CSUN this year?
RE: Touch screens
We have also been experimenting with techniques to allow peole who have low
vision or who are blind to be able to use Touch Screen ATMs, Kiosks,
Building directories etc. We took one prototype to CTG conference to get
consumer reaction and input and were pleasantly suprised how well it
worked. I think Doug Wakefield from GSA commented on it earlier on this
listserve. Based on user input from that conference we have made some
additional improvements and will be bringing the latest version to CSUN for
more trial and input. If you will be at CSUN be sure to come by the
special room we will have set up at CSUN on Access to the Information
Superhighway and try it out. We are interested in all the input and ideas
we can gather. We have three modes of operation for it now - one faster,
one better for beginners and one that combines both but requires a
different type of touch screen. (the first two modes will work on current
touch screens.)
We will also have information on the touchscreen work up on our gopher and
Web servers on the internet. the address for all of our internet servers
is
trace.wisc.edu
RE: Audio output from systems
As Mia Lipner noted, voice output is nice as long as you dont ask anything
confidential. Then you need privacy. The three approaches I have seen
listed for voice output with privacy are:
1) If there is already a phone handset there (as there is on some systems)
then it can be used.
2) If not then a small headphone jack could be provided. This would
require that the user bring a small earphone with them. These can be quite
small, (some are the size of a gumball), and if all ATMs, Kiosks,
Electronic building directories etc had such jacks and audio output then
people who could use the audio output would probably carry one with them.
3) people have worried about vandalizing even the earphone jack, so another
idea is a small window (about the size of a fingernail), with an IR source
behind it. The user would have something which was much like a headphone
above execpt that it would have a suctioncup on the end with a small IR
reciever/amp in it. The person would put the suction cup over the
window. It would both block the IR light from going anywhere else (for
privacy) and provide a tight low cost and almost vandal proof way of
connecting things.
- if the IR output was voice then the user device could be
manufactured for very little (around $15 - 25)
- if the IR output was data then the user device would be
more expensive, but it would cost almost nothing
to build it into the public device. This could
open the way for building such output capabilities
directly into any device which had a visual display.
This of course relates back to the discussion above on IR standards and
what would be the best route to take in this areas. (or is it routes.)
Gregg
-------------------------------------------------------
Gregg C. Vanderheiden
Trace R&D Center
Waisman Center and Dept of Industrial Engr.
University of Wisconsin - Madison 53705
gcvander@FacStaff.Wisc.Edu , FAX 608 232-8848
FTP,Gopher and WWW servers at trace.wisc.edu
If you have built castles in the air,
your work need not be lost;
That is where they should be.
Now build a foundation under them.
Henry David Thoreau
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Regards,
Curtis Chong
curtisc@winternet.com
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