Glossary

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AI Suitcase(also: AI-suitcase, Accessibility AI Suitcase)

A suitcase-shaped autonomous navigation robot for blind and low-vision travellers, developed as an open research platform by IBM Research, Carnegie Mellon University, Miraikan (the Japanese National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation), and project partners. The user holds…

Accessible Pedestrian Signal(also: APS, Audible Pedestrian Signal, Talking Traffic Signal)

A traffic control device that communicates pedestrian signal information in non-visual formats, typically through audible tones, speech messages, or vibrating surfaces, enabling blind and visually impaired pedestrians to know when it is safe to cross a street and in which…

Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System(also: AVAS, Minimum sound requirement, Pedestrian warning sound)

A class of vehicle systems that emit artificial sound to alert pedestrians and other road users to the presence and movement of quiet vehicles — typically electric and hybrid vehicles at low speeds, where tire and aerodynamic noise are insufficient for detection. Regulatory…

Age-Related Vision Loss(also: Age-Related Visual Impairment)

Vision impairment that occurs as a consequence of aging, representing the most common cause of blindness and low vision worldwide. Conditions include age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts. The prevalence of significant visual impairment…

Ambient Audio(also: Ambient Sound, Environmental Audio, Background Audio)

The background sound of an environment — voices, traffic, water, wind, music, birdsong — captured incidentally rather than as the main focus of a recording. In accessible photography and audiophotography tools, ambient audio is often recorded automatically in the seconds leading…

Anticipatory Grasp(also: Pregrasp Planning, Pre-grasp, Pre-shaping)

Anticipatory grasp refers to the pre-shaping of the hand before contact with an object, based on expectations about the object's size, shape, and orientation. In sighted people this planning is driven primarily by visual input during the reach phase and produces smooth,…

AppleVis

A community-driven website and discussion forum dedicated to accessibility on Apple platforms (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS) for blind and low-vision users. It hosts app directories, podcasts, tutorials, and peer-support discussions focused on VoiceOver and related…

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…

Audio-Based Interface(also: Audio Interface, Auditory Interface)

A computer interface that uses sound as the primary means of conveying information and supporting interaction, rather than visual display. Audio-based interfaces are essential for blind and visually impaired users and may employ speech output, environmental sounds, musical…

Audio-Based Navigation(also: Audio Navigation, Auditory Navigation)

A navigation approach that uses audio output — typically synthesised speech, spatial audio cues, or sonification — as the primary means of providing wayfinding information to users. Audio-based navigation systems are particularly important for blind and visually impaired people,…

Audiophotography(also: Audiophotograph, Audio Photograph, Sound Photograph)

A medium proposed by Frohlich and Tallyn in which a photograph is packaged together with an associated audio recording — typically ambient sound captured at the moment of the shutter, a spoken caption added afterwards, or both. For accessibility practice the audiophotograph is a…

Aural Eavesdropping(also: Audio Eavesdropping, Auditory Shoulder Surfing)

A security attack in which an unauthorized person overhears sensitive information such as passwords, PINs, or personal data being spoken aloud. This is a particular concern for people who are blind or have low vision because screen readers announce all on-screen content audibly,…

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