Glossary

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Activity Tracker(also: Fitness Tracker, Step Counter, Fitness Band)

An activity tracker is a wearable device or smartphone application that monitors and records physical activity data such as steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, heart rate, and sleep patterns. In accessibility contexts, activity trackers raise important design…

Always-On Computing(also: Always-available computing, Continuous computing)

A model of interaction in which computing devices — particularly wearables such as smartwatches, AR glasses, and fitness trackers — remain continuously active and accessible throughout the day rather than being engaged only for discrete tasks. Always-on computing shifts design…

Assistive Suitcase(also: Robotic Suitcase, Smart Suitcase)

A mobility aid in the form factor of a rolling travel suitcase that has been augmented with sensors, computing, and feedback mechanisms to help blind or low-vision travellers navigate public spaces. The suitcase form factor is appealing because it is socially unobtrusive in…

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…

Bone Conduction(also: Bone Conduction Headphones, Bone Conduction Audio)

A method of transmitting sound vibrations through the bones of the skull directly to the inner ear, bypassing the outer and middle ear. Bone conduction headphones rest on the cheekbones or temples rather than covering or inserting into the ears, leaving the ear canals open to…

Bone-Conducting Headphones(also: Bone Conduction Headphones, Bone Conduction Headset)

Headphones that transmit sound by vibrating the skull bones directly to the inner ear, bypassing the outer and middle ear and leaving the ear canals open. In accessibility contexts they are widely used by blind travellers and wayfinding systems because the wearer can continue to…

Bone-Conduction Headset(also: Bone-conduction headphones, Bone-conduction earphones)

A headphone that delivers sound by vibrating the bones of the skull and jaw rather than projecting air through the ear canal, leaving the wearer's ears uncovered and able to hear ambient sound. Bone-conduction headsets are widely used in blind and low-vision navigation contexts…

ChamBadge(also: Chambadge)

A wearable accessible cell phone device developed as part of the Talking Braille ubiquitous computing system for indoor wayfinding. The ChamBadge combines a cell phone with a bone-conduction headset, an infrared transceiver, and wireless networking capabilities, worn behind the…

Chest-Mounted Camera(also: Body-Worn Camera, Torso Camera)

A wearable camera mounted on the user's chest or torso to capture a first-person perspective of activities. In accessibility research, chest-mounted cameras are used to record BLV users' daily activities like cooking for dataset collection and to provide visual input for…

Closed-Loop Control(also: Feedback Control)

A control strategy in which a system continuously measures the current state, compares it to a desired reference, and adjusts its output to minimize the error. Contrasted with open-loop control, which acts without sensing outcomes. In assistive wearables, closed-loop control is…

CyberGlove(also: CyberGlove II)

A wearable motion-capture device in the form of a lightweight, elastic glove instrumented with bend sensors that measure the angles of finger joints during hand movement. CyberGloves are widely used in sign language research, virtual reality, and rehabilitation to record…

Data Glove(also: digital glove, sensor glove, wired glove)

A wearable input device equipped with sensors to capture hand and finger movements, positions, and orientations. Data gloves use technologies like gyroscopes, accelerometers, flex sensors, or fiber optics to track hand gestures. In accessibility, data gloves enable sign language…

Egocentric Camera(also: First-Person Camera, POV Camera)

A camera that captures video from the wearer's point of view, typically mounted on the head, glasses, or chest. Egocentric video captures what the user sees or interacts with, making it valuable for activity recognition, assistive technology, and accessibility research. For BLV…

Electromyography(also: EMG, Electromyogram)

Electromyography (EMG) is a technique for measuring the electrical activity produced by muscles when they contract or are at rest. In accessibility and assistive technology, EMG sensors placed on the skin can detect muscle activations even when there is no visible movement,…

Finger Assistive Device(also: FAD)

A category of wearable assistive devices worn on a finger or fingertip that extend sensing or actuation to the primary locus of tactile perception. The term was introduced by Shilkrot et al. to classify finger-worn input technologies, particularly those developed for blind and…

Finger-Worn Camera(also: Ring camera, Finger-mounted camera, Finger assistive camera)

A miniature camera attached to a finger, typically via a ring or thimble-like housing, that captures images from the hand rather than from the head or chest. In accessibility contexts, finger-worn cameras enable blind and low-vision users to point and query objects through…

Finger-mounted Camera(also: Fingertip Camera, Wearable Finger Camera)

A small camera device worn on the finger that enables direct, tactile interaction with printed documents for blind and low-vision users. Unlike handheld or phone-based cameras, finger-mounted systems allow users to trace text with their finger while receiving real-time feedback…

Fingertip Deflection

A haptic guidance technique in which a wearable device gently pulls or tilts the fingertip in a chosen direction (abduction, adduction, flexion, or extension) to bias arm motion toward a target during reach. Unlike vibrotactile alerts that must be symbolically decoded, fingertip…

Gait Training(also: Gait Rehabilitation)

Gait training is therapeutic practice aimed at improving walking function - velocity, stride length, symmetry, stability, and cadence - in people with neurological or musculoskeletal impairments. It is central to rehabilitation after stroke, spinal cord injury, and lower-limb…

Haptic Feedback(also: Tactile Feedback, Haptics)

Technology that communicates information through the sense of touch, using vibrations, pressure, or motion applied to the user's body. In accessibility, haptic feedback provides a non-visual, non-auditory channel for conveying alerts, navigation cues, or interface responses —…

Haptic Glove(also: Data Glove, Tactile Glove, Wearable Haptic Device)

A wearable device worn on the hand that provides tactile feedback through vibration motors, piezoelectric actuators, pin arrays, or other mechanisms embedded in the fingers and palm. In accessibility research, haptic gloves have been explored for several applications: enabling…

Haptic Wearable(also: Haptic Wearable Device, Wearable Haptic Technology)

A body-worn electronic device that communicates information through touch sensations such as vibration, pressure, or temperature changes. In accessibility contexts, haptic wearables can serve as assistive technologies that convey information through tactile channels when visual…

Head-Mounted Display (HMD)(also: HMD, Head-Mounted Display, Smart Glasses)

A display device worn on the head that places visual content in front of one or both eyes. Head-mounted displays include AR smart glasses (like Vuzix Blade), VR headsets, and mixed reality devices. In accessibility applications, HMDs can present captions, sign language…

Head-mounted display(also: HMD, Smart glasses, Head-worn display)

A wearable device that positions a display in front of one or both eyes, either overlaying digital content onto the real world (optical see-through) or replacing the visual field with a camera-captured and digitally processed view (video see-through). For people with low vision,…

Hearable(also: Smart Earbud, Smart Earphone)

A class of in-ear or over-ear wearable devices that combine audio playback with one or more sensors and on-device computing - microphones for ambient audio capture, inertial sensors, biosensors, and machine-learning accelerators - enabling features beyond passive listening.…

HoloLens(also: Microsoft HoloLens)

A self-contained, wearable mixed reality headset developed by Microsoft that overlays interactive holograms onto the user's real-world environment. HoloLens uses spatial mapping, gaze tracking, gesture recognition (air-tap), voice commands, and a physical clicker for…

Human Activity Recognition(also: HAR, Activity Recognition)

A field of machine learning and ubiquitous computing that uses sensor data — typically from accelerometers, gyroscopes, and other sensors in smartphones, smartwatches, or other wearable devices — to automatically identify and classify physical activities performed by a person.…

Imaginary Interface(also: Spatial Memory Interface, Empty-Handed Interaction)

An interaction paradigm where users interact with a virtual interface mapped to empty space or their own body, without any physical device in the interaction area. Users transfer their spatial memory of familiar device layouts (like a smartphone screen) to their palm or mid-air,…

Kinesthetic Feedback(also: Kinesthetic Haptics, Force Feedback)

A form of haptic feedback that engages the body’s sense of limb position, movement, and applied force — the kinesthetic sense mediated by receptors in muscles, tendons, and joints — rather than cutaneous sensation alone. Kinesthetic displays include force-feedback joysticks,…

Mediated Social Touch(also: Remote Touch, Tele-touch, Haptic Telepresence)

The use of haptic technology to simulate or communicate social touch gestures — such as stroking, squeezing, patting, or hugging — between people who are physically separated. Mediated social touch systems encode touch from one person and reproduce it on a remote partner's body…

Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses(also: Ray-Ban Meta, Meta Smart Glasses)

Consumer smart glasses produced through a partnership between Meta and Ray-Ban that integrate cameras, speakers, and microphones into a conventional eyewear form factor. When paired with Meta's Live AI feature, these glasses enable hands-free, voice-activated interaction with…

Multimodal Cueing

Multimodal cueing is the simultaneous or selectable use of two or more sensory channels - typically visual, auditory, and somatosensory (vibrotactile) - to guide motor behaviour during rehabilitation or assistive interaction. The rationale is that different modalities engage…

Muscle-Computer Interface(also: MCI (Muscle-Computer Interface), EMG Interface)

An input modality in which signals generated by muscle contractions — typically recorded via surface electromyography (sEMG) sensors worn on the forearm or other muscle group — are interpreted by a computer to recognise discrete gestures or continuous control signals. Coined by…

Myo Armband(also: Thalmic Myo)

A commercially available wearable gesture-recognition armband released by Thalmic Labs in 2014 and discontinued in 2018, containing eight dry sEMG electrodes sampling at 200 Hz plus a 9-axis IMU. Despite its discontinuation, the Myo remains widely used in accessibility and HCI…

Obstacle Detection(also: Obstacle Avoidance)

Technology or techniques that identify physical barriers in a person's path and alert them in time to take corrective action. For people who are blind or visually impaired, obstacle detection systems use sensors (ultrasonic, infrared, LiDAR, or camera-based) embedded in devices…

Olfactory Display(also: Olfactory Interface, Olfactory Feedback, Smell Display)

An olfactory display is a hardware system that delivers controlled scent stimuli to a user, typically as part of a virtual reality, augmented reality, or multisensory interaction system. Designs range from desk-mounted vapour generators to head-mounted, hand-held, and neck-worn…

On-body Input(also: Skin-based Input, Body-based Interaction)

An interaction technique that uses the surface of the user's own body — typically the hand, arm, or other skin areas — as an input surface for controlling digital devices. On-body input is sensed through wearable cameras, depth sensors, capacitive touch sensors, or acoustic…

OrCam(also: OrCam MyEye, OrCam Read)

A family of wearable assistive devices made by OrCam Technologies that use a camera and on-device AI to read printed text aloud, identify faces and products, and recognize colors and banknotes for blind and low vision users. The flagship OrCam MyEye clips magnetically to the arm…

Peltier Module(also: Peltier Device, Thermoelectric Module, TEC Module)

A Peltier module is a thermoelectric device that creates a temperature difference when electrical current is applied, with one side heating up and the other cooling down. In assistive technology, flexible Peltier modules are used to provide thermotactile feedback — controlled…

Photoplethysmography(also: PPG)

A non-invasive optical technique used to detect blood volume changes in peripheral circulation, commonly implemented in wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers. PPG sensors use light (typically red and green LEDs) to measure how blood flow absorbs and reflects…

Posture Detection(also: Posture Monitoring, Posture Recognition)

The use of sensors or computer vision to identify and monitor a person's body posture in real time. In assistive technology, posture detection systems can use accelerometers, gyroscopes, or cameras to determine whether a user is sitting, standing, slouching, or hunching, and…

Printed Circuit Board(also: PCB)

A printed circuit board (PCB) is a flat board, typically made of fibreglass-reinforced epoxy laminate with copper traces, that mechanically supports and electrically connects electronic components. PCBs are the standard substrate of nearly all modern electronics, from consumer…

Quantified Self(also: Self-Tracking, Personal Informatics, Lifelogging)

The practice of using technology to systematically track and analyse data about one's own body, health, behaviour, and daily activities. Common tools include fitness trackers, smartwatches, heart rate monitors, and mobile apps that record metrics such as steps, sleep, calories,…

Sedentary Behaviour(also: Sedentary Lifestyle, Physical Inactivity)

Any waking behaviour characterised by low energy expenditure while in a sitting, reclining, or lying posture, such as prolonged sitting at a desk, watching television, or using a computer. Sedentary behaviour is a leading risk factor for preventable chronic diseases including…

Self-tracking(also: Quantified Self, Self-monitoring, Personal Informatics)

The practice of using technology — typically wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers — to systematically record and monitor personal data about one's own behaviour, health, or activities. Self-tracking can help individuals, including older adults and people with…

SenseCam(also: Microsoft SenseCam, Vicon Revue)

A wearable digital camera originally developed by Microsoft Research that automatically captures photos throughout the day without requiring the wearer to actively take pictures. SenseCam is worn around the neck and uses sensors (light level, temperature, passive infrared for…

Skin Stretch(also: Tangential Skin Stretch)

A haptic feedback technique that conveys directional or magnitude information by laterally stretching the skin at the fingertip, palm, or other contact point rather than by vibration or kinesthetic force on a joint. Skin stretch engages slowly adapting tactile mechanoreceptors…

Smart Glasses(also: AR Glasses, Assistive Smart Glasses)

Smart glasses are head-mounted wearable devices that incorporate cameras, microphones, speakers, and computing capabilities into an eyeglass form factor. For people who are blind or have low vision, smart glasses can use computer vision and AI to provide real-time information…

Smart Ring(also: Ring-Form Wearable)

A wearable computing device worn on a finger, typically combining sensors (motion, biometric, or camera) and/or actuators (vibration, kinesthetic feedback) in a ring form factor. In accessibility, smart rings have been proposed as discreet input devices, vibrotactile navigation…

Smartglasses(also: Smart Glasses, AR Glasses, Connected Glasses)

Eyewear with integrated computing capabilities including sensors, displays, cameras, and connectivity that overlay digital information onto the wearer's field of view or provide hands-free access to computing functions. Smartglasses encompass several subcategories: passive…