Glossary
Terms used in accessibility research and practice. Each entry has a definition, common aliases, and category tags.
Search results
- PHANTOM(also: PHANTOM Omni, PHANTOM Desktop, SensAble PHANTOM)
- A family of force-feedback haptic devices originally developed by SensAble Technologies (now part of 3D Systems). PHANTOM devices use a pen-like stylus that users grasp while motors apply forces to create the sensation of touching virtual objects or being guided along…
- PS5 Access Controller(also: PlayStation Access Controller, Access Controller)
- Sony's highly customisable controller for PlayStation 5, released in 2023 and designed for players with limited motor control. It has a flat disc layout with interchangeable button caps and analog stick attachments, 3.5 mm expansion ports for external switches, and…
- Pantograph(also: Haptic Pantograph)
- A haptic input device that allows users to explore a two-dimensional surface by physically moving a stylus or finger pad across an exploration area, while receiving tactile feedback from an attached tactile display. In accessibility applications, the pantograph enables people…
- Passive Pin Retention
- A mechanical technique used in refreshable Braille display design where pins are held in their raised or lowered positions by a passive mechanical structure rather than by continuously powered actuators. In traditional Braille displays, each pin requires its own actuator to…
- 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…
- Piezo Vibrator(also: Piezoelectric Vibrator, Piezoelectric Actuator)
- A device that converts electrical signals into mechanical vibrations using the piezoelectric effect, commonly used in tactile displays and haptic feedback systems for assistive technology. Piezo vibrators can be arranged in arrays to create tactile patterns that convey spatial…
- Piezoelectric Actuator(also: Piezo Actuator, Piezoelectric Bimorph)
- A device that converts electrical energy into precise mechanical motion using the piezoelectric effect — the property of certain materials to change shape when an electric voltage is applied. In assistive technology, piezoelectric actuators are the dominant mechanism used in…
- Pin Array(also: Pin Matrix, Pin-Matrix Display)
- A grid of individually controllable pins used in refreshable tactile displays to create tactile images and text. Each pin can be raised or lowered electronically, and in some displays raised to multiple heights, allowing the representation of graphical content through touch. Pin…
- Pin-Matrix Display(also: Tactile Pin Display, Pin Array Display, Two-Dimensional Braille Display)
- A refreshable tactile display technology that uses a grid of individually controllable pins to create two-dimensional tactile images, as opposed to single-line refreshable Braille displays that show only one row of characters. Pin-matrix displays like the BrailleDis 7200 can…
- Portable Reader(also: Portable Reading Device, Portable Reading Machine)
- An assistive technology device that combines a camera or scanner with optical character recognition and text-to-speech output to enable blind or visually impaired users to read printed text independently in any location. Unlike traditional flatbed scanner-based reading systems…
- 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…
- Public Access System(also: Kiosk, Self-Service Terminal, Public Information Kiosk)
- Interactive computer terminals placed in public locations for use by the general population, including ticket vending machines, ATMs, check-in kiosks, and information displays. These systems present unique accessibility challenges because users cannot customize them, may have…
12 results.