Glossary

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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…

NFC(also: Near Field Communication)

A short-range wireless communication technology that enables data exchange between devices held within a few centimetres of each other. NFC is built into most modern smartphones and can read passive NFC tags embedded in objects. In accessibility applications, NFC tags can be…

NFC accessibility(also: NFC tags for accessibility)

The use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to make physical objects, materials, and environments accessible to people with disabilities. NFC tags can be embedded in physical cards, objects, or locations and triggered by tapping a smartphone or dedicated reader to…

Novint Falcon

A consumer-grade 3D haptic input device originally marketed for gaming that has been widely adopted in accessibility research for providing force feedback to people with visual impairments. The device features a grip attached to three arms that can exert forces in three…

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…

Omnidirectional Camera(also: 360-Degree Camera, 360 Camera, Panoramic Camera)

A camera equipped with multiple wide-angle or fish-eye lenses that captures a complete 360-degree view of its surroundings in a single shot. The resulting equirectangular image can be projected into conventional perspective views for viewing or processing. In accessibility…

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…

QWERTY Keyboard(also: QWERTY)

A QWERTY keyboard is the dominant Latin-script keyboard layout, named for the first six letters on the top row, originally designed for mechanical typewriters and carried forward into computers and mobile devices. On mobile handsets, QWERTY has appeared in both hardware form…

Refreshable Braille Display(also: Braille Display, Braille Terminal, Refreshable Tactile Display)

An electromechanical device that renders Braille characters by raising and lowering small pins through a flat surface, allowing blind users to read digital text output by touch. These devices connect to computers or mobile devices and work alongside screen readers to provide…

Refreshable Braille Display(also: Refreshable Braille, Dynamic Braille Display, Electronic Braille Display)

An electromechanical device that renders Braille characters by raising and lowering pins dynamically, allowing blind users to read digital text through touch. Conventional refreshable Braille displays present a single line of text (typically 20-80 characters) using piezoelectric…

Shape-changing Interface(also: Shape-changing haptic interface, Morphing interface)

A physical interface that conveys information by changing its own shape or physical orientation — for example, a servo-driven lever that rotates to point in a specific direction, a cube whose top half turns to indicate a heading, or a surface that deforms under the user's hand.…

Skin Stretch Display(also: Skin Stretch, Lateral Skin Deformation Display, STReSS)

A type of haptic display technology that produces tactile feedback by laterally stretching the skin of the user's fingertip, rather than using raised pins or vibration. Skin stretch displays typically use arrays of small actuators (such as piezoelectric bending motors) that…

Smart Cane(also: Electronic Cane, Intelligent Cane)

An enhanced version of the traditional white cane that incorporates electronic sensors — typically ultrasonic or infrared — to detect obstacles beyond the range of physical contact, providing haptic or auditory feedback to the user. Smart canes can detect obstacles at waist or…

Smart Display(also: Smart Screen, Voice Assistant Display)

A voice-controlled device that combines a smart speaker with a built-in touchscreen, enabling multimodal interaction through voice commands, visual output, and touch input. Examples include the Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub. Smart displays offer accessibility advantages…

Sony Access Controller(also: PlayStation Access Controller, Project Leonardo)

A customisable game controller released by Sony in 2023 for the PlayStation 5, designed for players with limited motor control. The Access Controller is a circular unit with swappable button caps, long-throw levers, adjustable stick positioning, and four 3.5mm ports for external…

Stylus(also: Digital Pen, Active Pen)

A pen-shaped input device used to interact with touchscreens, tablets, and other digitizer surfaces. Unlike finger touch, styluses provide a smaller contact point for precise selection, and active styluses can detect pressure, tilt, and hover states. For accessibility, styluses…

Switch(also: Adaptive Switch, Accessibility Switch)

An assistive technology input device that is activated by a single action such as pressing, squeezing, blowing, blinking, or moving a body part. Switches are designed for people with significant motor impairments who cannot use standard keyboards, mice, or touchscreens. They…

Tablet PC(also: Tablet Computer, Pen Tablet)

A portable computing device featuring a touchscreen display that can be operated with fingers, a stylus, or both. For accessibility purposes, tablets offer several advantages: adjustable screen angle and position, portability for use in comfortable positions, direct manipulation…

Tactile Printer(also: Braille Embosser, Tactile Embosser)

A device that produces raised-line graphics and text on paper or other media, enabling people who are blind or have low vision to access visual information through touch. Tactile printers work by embossing dots or lines onto heavy paper, or by using thermal processes with…

Tactor(also: Vibrotactile Actuator, Tactile Actuator, Vibration Motor)

A small electromechanical device that produces vibrations against the skin to convey information through the sense of touch. Tactors are the fundamental components of tactile displays and wearable haptic devices, commonly used in electronic travel aids, navigation belts, and…

Thermal Embosser(also: Thermal Swell Paper Printer)

A device that produces tactile graphics by heating speciality swell paper (also called microcapsule paper) to raise areas printed with dark ink or toner. The microcapsules embedded in the paper expand when exposed to heat, creating a raised surface that can be felt by touch.…

Tiger Embosser(also: ViewPlus Tiger, Tiger Braille Printer)

A brand of Braille embosser manufactured by ViewPlus Technologies that produces both Braille text and tactile graphics by pressing raised dots onto thick paper. Unlike traditional Braille embossers that only produce text, Tiger embossers can render graphical images with multiple…

Touch Sensor(also: Touch-Sensitive Sensor, Tactile Sensor)

An electronic component that detects physical contact or proximity of a finger or object on a surface. Touch sensors are used in accessible devices to enable direct tactile interaction, allowing blind users to trigger audio feedback by touching specific locations on a physical…

Touchscreen(also: Touch Screen, Touch Display)

An input and display device that detects touch gestures directly on its surface, allowing users to interact with content by tapping, swiping, pinching, or dragging. While touchscreens enable intuitive direct manipulation, they present accessibility challenges for users with…

Ultrasonic Sensor(also: Ultrasound Sensor, Proximity Sensor)

A device that measures distance to objects by emitting high-frequency sound waves and calculating the time it takes for the echo to return. In assistive technology, ultrasonic sensors are commonly used in electronic travel aids and wearable navigation devices for blind and…

Vibrotactile feedback(also: Tactile vibration, Haptic vibration)

A form of haptic feedback that uses mechanical vibrations applied to the skin to convey information through the sense of touch. Vibrotactile actuators can communicate directional cues, alerts, patterns, and intensity levels without relying on vision or hearing. In accessibility…

Video Passthrough(also: Passthrough, Camera Passthrough)

A feature in VR headsets that uses external cameras to capture the real-world environment and display it on the headset's internal screens, allowing users to see their surroundings without removing the headset. Video passthrough enables augmented reality experiences on VR…

Wearable Assistive Technology(also: Wearable AT, Assistive Wearables)

Electronic devices worn on the body—such as smartwatches, smart glasses, rings, or headbands—that provide assistive functionality for people with disabilities. Wearable assistive technology leverages built-in sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, cameras) and connectivity to…

Wearable Sensor(also: Body-Worn Sensor, Wearable Device)

A small electronic device worn on the body that continuously collects data about the wearer's movements, physiological state, or environment. In accessibility and rehabilitation contexts, wearable sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and inertial measurement units can…

Xbox Adaptive Controller(also: XAC)

A Microsoft-manufactured game controller designed for players with limited mobility. It provides a large flat-surface form factor with two oversized programmable buttons and 19 external 3.5 mm jacks plus USB ports, so it can be connected to a wide range of external switches,…