Game theory

A branch of applied mathematics that models strategic decision making in competitive or cooperative environments. In accessibility research, game theory has been applied to model the allocation of scarce resources in adaptive user interfaces — for example, when multiple content streams (video, audio description, captions, earcons) compete for limited channels such as screen space, audio output, or user attention. The concept of competing resources is central to multimedia accessibility: a screen reader generating speech must contend with video audio, notification sounds, and other auditory content. Game-theoretic approaches can help formalise how an adaptive system should prioritise and schedule these competing demands based on user needs and context.