Glossary

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Augmented Communicator(also: AC, AAC User, Aided Communicator)

A person who uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology to express themselves, typically because a disability affects their ability to produce speech. Augmented communicators use devices ranging from simple picture boards to sophisticated speech-generating…

Augmented Reality(also: AR)

A technology that overlays digital information—such as images, text, or 3D objects—onto the real-world environment in real time, typically viewed through a head-mounted display, smartphone, or tablet. Unlike virtual reality, augmented reality maintains visibility of the physical…

Augmented Reality(also: AR, Mixed Reality)

A technology that overlays digital information—such as images, text, or 3D models—onto the user's view of the real world, typically through smartphones, tablets, smart glasses, or projection systems. Unlike virtual reality which replaces the real environment, augmented reality…

Augmented Reality (AR)(also: AR, Augmented Reality)

An interactive technology that overlays digital information — such as text, images, or video — onto the real-world environment in real time. In accessibility contexts, AR has significant potential for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users by displaying captions or sign language…

Augmented Reality Intervention(also: AR Intervention, AR-Based Intervention)

The use of augmented reality technology to deliver therapeutic or supportive interventions by overlaying digital content onto a person's real-world view. For OCD, proposed AR interventions include placing visual barriers on objects being compulsively examined (to interrupt…

Augmented reality(also: AR)

A technology that overlays digital information — such as text, images, highlights, or 3D objects — onto the user's view of the real world, typically through smart glasses, head-mounted displays, or smartphone cameras. In accessibility applications, augmented reality can…

Aural Browsing(also: Aural Navigation, Aural Web Browsing)

Aural browsing refers to the experience of navigating and consuming web content through auditory output, primarily via screen readers that read page content aloud sequentially. Unlike visual browsing where users can scan and skim pages at a glance, aural browsing is inherently…

Aural Rendering(also: Auralization, Audio Rendering)

The process of converting visual or textual information into a spoken or auditory representation. In programming accessibility, aural rendering transforms source code into speech output that conveys not just the text content but also structural and syntactic information — such…

Authorable Virtual Peer(also: AVP)

A life-sized animated virtual character technology designed to support social skills development in children with autism and related disorders. Unlike passive virtual agents, authorable virtual peers allow children to interact in multiple modes: face-to-face conversation,…

Autism Technology(also: Autism Tech, ASD Technology)

Technologies specifically designed for, marketed to, or used by autistic individuals and their support networks. Autism technology spans a wide range including digital therapy platforms, educational apps, data tracking and behavioral monitoring systems, diagnostic computational…

Auto-Personalization(also: Automatic Personalization, Preference Portability)

The ability to automatically configure a digital device's interface, accessibility settings, and assistive technology software to match an individual user's needs and preferences without requiring the user to manually make changes. Auto-personalization addresses a critical…

Auto-label(also: Automatic Labeling, Heuristic Labeling)

A feature in authoring tools or runtime environments that automatically generates accessible labels for interactive elements when a developer has not explicitly provided one. For example, Adobe Flash Player's auto-label function would heuristically find nearby text for objects…

Automated Speech Recognition(also: ASR, Speech-to-Text, Voice Recognition)

Technology that converts spoken language into written text using machine learning and signal processing algorithms. In accessibility, ASR is used for real-time captioning, voice control of devices and software, and generating transcripts of audio and video content. While ASR…

Automatic Sign Language Processing(also: ASLP, Sign Language Processing)

An umbrella term encompassing three major areas of technology for sign language: automatic sign language generation (ASLG, creating sign language output from text or speech), automatic sign language recognition (ASLR, interpreting sign language input), and automatic sign…

Automatic Speech Recognition(also: ASR)

The computational technology and algorithms that automatically convert spoken audio into text transcriptions. ASR systems use acoustic models, language models, and increasingly deep learning approaches to process speech signals. ASR accuracy directly impacts the usability of…

Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR)(also: ASR, Speech-to-Text, Voice Recognition)

Technology that converts spoken language into written text using computational algorithms and machine learning models. ASR powers auto-captioning features in video conferencing, media players, and assistive devices. While ASR has improved significantly, its accuracy is affected…

Automatic Teller Machine(also: ATM, Cash Dispenser, Cash Machine)

An Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) is a self-service electronic banking terminal that allows users to perform financial transactions such as cash withdrawals, balance inquiries, and fund transfers without a human teller. ATM accessibility is a significant concern because these…

Automatic Text Simplification(also: ATS, Automated Simplification)

The use of computational methods to reduce the complexity of text while preserving its meaning, making it more accessible to readers with disabilities or limited literacy. Automatic text simplification includes lexical simplification (replacing difficult words with simpler…

Automatic speech recognition(also: ASR, Speech-to-text, Voice recognition)

Technology that converts spoken language into text using machine learning and signal processing. ASR powers live captioning, voice assistants, and dictation software, making it a key accessibility technology for deaf and hard of hearing users who benefit from real-time captions.…

Automatic text simplification(also: ATS, Text simplification, Automated readability improvement)

The use of natural language processing techniques to transform complex text into simpler, more readable versions while preserving meaning. ATS operates at two levels: lexical simplification (replacing difficult words with simpler synonyms) and syntactic simplification…

Autonomous Navigation Robot(also: Autonomous guide robot, Self-navigating robot)

A mobile robot that plans and executes its own path through an environment to deliver a user or payload to a chosen destination, using onboard sensors (LiDAR, cameras, IMU) and a map for localisation, obstacle avoidance, and path planning. In accessibility contexts, autonomous…

Avatar Robot(also: Robot Avatar, Telepresence Avatar)

A physical robot that acts as a remote proxy for a human operator, enabling them to interact with a distant environment through vision, audio, and often manipulation or movement. Avatar robots extend the capabilities of telepresence beyond a screen on a stand, allowing the…

BATE Principle(also: Beyond Accessibility to Efficiency)

A design principle for assistive technology stating that devices should not merely provide basic access to a task but should enable a person with a disability to perform that task with the same efficiency as a non-disabled person. Coined in the iCARE Reader project at Arizona…

BETSIE(also: BBC Education Text to Speech Internet Enhancer)

BETSIE (BBC Education Text to Speech Internet Enhancer) was an early web accessibility tool developed by the BBC as a CGI Perl script that produced text-only versions of web pages optimized for users of text-to-speech systems. BETSIE handled frames by serializing them,…

BIGmack Switch(also: BIGmack, BIGmack Communicator)

A single-message assistive technology device that allows a user to press a large button to play a pre-recorded message. BIGmack Switches are widely used in special education and communication interventions for individuals with significant speech and motor disabilities, including…

BLE Beacon(also: Bluetooth Low Energy Beacon, iBeacon, Bluetooth Beacon)

A BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) beacon is a small wireless transmitter that broadcasts a signal at regular intervals, which can be detected by nearby smartphones to determine a user's indoor location. In accessibility contexts, networks of BLE beacons are widely used to enable…

Background Color Music(also: BCM)

A sonification technique that maps the background colors of visually distinct content regions on a web page to recognizable melodies, allowing blind users to perceive the color-based grouping structure of a page through hearing. Each background color is assigned a unique melody…

Background Mode

A privacy technique in visual assistance technologies that obfuscates a specific private object while preserving all other elements in the image or video. For example, a user might select a pill bottle as private content, and background mode would blur or hide only the pill…

Ballot Marking Device(also: BMD, Ballot Marking System)

A ballot marking device (BMD) is an electronic system that assists voters in marking their ballot selections, typically producing a printed paper ballot as a verifiable record. Unlike direct recording electronic (DRE) voting machines that store votes digitally, BMDs produce a…

Barcode(also: Bar Code, QR Code, 1D Barcode)

A barcode is a machine-readable visual encoding of data — linear (one-dimensional, such as UPC or EAN) or matrix (two-dimensional, such as QR or DataMatrix codes). In a digital accessibility context, barcodes are commonly used as a lightweight way to attach identifying or…

Barrier Pointing(also: Edge-Based Pointing)

An interaction technique for touch screens that uses the physical edges of a device as barriers to assist with target acquisition. When a target is placed near a screen edge, users can slide their finger or stylus toward the edge, using it as a physical stop to improve selection…

Bayesian Network(also: Bayes Network, Belief Network, Probabilistic Graphical Model)

A statistical model that represents probabilistic relationships among variables using a directed graph structure. In accessibility and assistive technology applications, Bayesian networks are used for behavior recognition—inferring what action a user is performing based on…

Be My AI

An AI-powered feature within the Be My Eyes app that uses GPT-4o to provide on-demand image descriptions for blind and low vision users. Users can take a photo or upload an image and receive a detailed AI-generated description, replacing the need to connect with a sighted…

Be My Eyes

A mobile application that connects blind and low-vision users with sighted volunteers or AI-powered visual assistance for help with visual tasks. Originally launched in 2015 as a crowdsourced human-to-human video call service, Be My Eyes has since integrated AI features ("Be My…

Behavioral Intervention(also: Behavior Intervention, Applied Behavior Analysis, ABA)

A systematic approach to understanding and modifying behavior, most commonly applied to support children with autism, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Behavioral intervention uses evidence-based techniques including prompting, reinforcement, cueing, and feedback…

Bespoke Assistive Technology(also: Bespoke AT, Custom Assistive Technology)

Assistive technology that is designed and built from scratch to meet the unique requirements of a specific individual, as opposed to adapting or modifying existing products. Bespoke AT is distinguished from DIY assistive technology by the involvement of professional designers or…

Bespoke Design(also: Custom Design, Bespoke Assistive Technology)

The creation of individually tailored products or solutions made to meet the specific needs of a single user, as opposed to mass-produced or universally designed items. In assistive technology, bespoke design addresses the reality that every person's combination of abilities,…

Bimodal Feedback(also: Dual-Modality Feedback)

A form of interface feedback that communicates information to the user through two simultaneous sensory channels, such as auditory and haptic, visual and haptic, or auditory and visual. Bimodal feedback is significant for accessibility because it provides redundancy — if a user…

Binary Selection(also: Binary Choice, Yes/No Selection)

An interaction method where users make choices between two options at each step, progressively narrowing down to their desired selection through a series of binary decisions. Binary selection is used in some AAC systems, including Look to Speak where users look left or right to…

Binaural Beats

Binaural beats are an auditory phenomenon that occurs when two tones of slightly different frequencies are played simultaneously in separate ears through headphones, creating a perceived third tone whose frequency equals the difference between the two signals. For example, a 400…

Binaural audio(also: Binaural sound, Binaural recording, 3D audio)

An audio reproduction method that uses two channels to create a three-dimensional sound experience when listened to through headphones. Binaural recordings capture or simulate the way human ears naturally perceive sound, using differences in timing, level, and frequency between…

Bio-Electrical Signal(also: Biosignal, Bioelectrical Signal, Physiological Signal)

A bio-electrical signal is an electrical potential generated by biological processes in the human body, including muscle contractions (EMG), brain activity (EEG), eye movements (EOG), heart rhythms (ECG), and skin conductance (GSR). In assistive technology, bio-electrical…

Bio-Signal(also: Biosignal, Biological Signal)

Any measurable electrical, chemical, or mechanical signal produced by the human body that can be detected by sensors and used as input for computer systems. In assistive technology, bio-signals are used to create alternative input methods for people with severe motor impairments…

Biofeedback

A therapeutic technique in which individuals are presented with real-time measurements of their physiological variables — such as heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, muscle tension, or brain waves — to help them learn to regulate these functions. In accessibility contexts,…

Biometric Authentication(also: Biometrics, Biometric Identification)

A security method that verifies a person's identity using unique biological characteristics such as fingerprints, facial features, iris patterns, or voice. For people with vision impairments, biometric authentication — particularly fingerprint recognition — is widely preferred…

Biometric Control(also: Biometric Input, Physiological Control Interface)

The use of measurable biological signals from the human body — such as brain waves (EEG), skin conductance (galvanic skin response), muscle electrical activity (EMG), heart rate, or eye movements — as input channels for controlling computers and assistive technology devices.…

Biosensor(also: Physiological Sensor, Biometric Sensor)

A device that detects and measures biological or physiological signals from the body, such as heart rate, skin conductance, temperature, or movement. Wearable biosensors are increasingly used in accessibility applications to monitor the physiological states of individuals who…

Biosignal Interface(also: Physiological Interface, Biometric Input)

An input interface that detects and interprets biological signals from the human body — such as muscle contractions (EMG), brain electrical activity (EEG), eye movements (EOG), or galvanic skin response — to generate computer commands. Biosignal interfaces are particularly…

Bite Switch(also: Bite Button, Mouth Switch)

An assistive input device consisting of a small button held in the mouth and activated by biting down on it, used by people with severe motor impairments who cannot operate hand-held controllers or switches. Bite switches are commonly used alongside joysticks or sip-and-puff…

Bixby Vision

Bixby Vision is a visual-assistance feature in Samsung's Bixby assistant, built into Samsung Galaxy phones, that uses the device camera and AI to describe scenes, read text, identify objects and currency, translate signs, and answer questions about the live camera view. For…