Glossary

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Buddy Button

A widely used commercial assistive technology switch manufactured by AbleNet, designed for single-switch access to computers, communication devices, and adapted toys. Buddy Buttons are large, colorful, easy-to-activate mechanical switches that can be positioned on various body…

Capacitive Touch(also: Capacitive Sensing, Capacitive Touch Sensing)

A touch detection technology that works by measuring changes in electrical capacitance when a conductive object, such as a human finger, comes near or contacts an electrode surface. The finger and electrode form a capacitor whose capacitance changes upon contact, and this change…

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…

EMG Switch(also: Electromyography Switch, Muscle Signal Switch)

An assistive technology switch that detects electrical signals produced by muscle contractions (electromyography) to generate a switch activation. EMG switches can detect even very small muscle movements, such as a slight facial twitch or jaw clench, making them suitable for…

Graphic Input Device(also: Drawing Input Device, Graphic Tablet)

A hardware device used to input and manipulate visual graphics on a computer, including digital drawing pads (digitizer tablets), styluses, mice, trackballs, touchscreens, and specialized assistive devices. For artists with upper limb motor impairments, the shape, size, pressure…

Haptic Pointing Device(also: Force Feedback Mouse, Haptic Mouse, Force Feedback Pointing Device)

An input device that combines the pointing functionality of a mouse or stylus with the ability to generate physical forces that the user can feel through their hand. Unlike a standard mouse that provides no tactile information about screen content, a haptic pointing device can…

Head Pointer(also: Head Mouse, Head Tracking Device)

An assistive technology input device that translates head movements into cursor movements on screen, allowing people who cannot use their hands or arms to control a computer. Head pointers can be physical devices (a stick or stylus mounted on a headband used to press keys) or…

Head Wand(also: Head Pointer, Head Stick, Mouth Stick)

A head wand is an assistive input device consisting of a pointer attached to a headband or held in the mouth, allowing people with limited or no hand and arm function to operate a keyboard, touchscreen, or other controls using head movements. Head wands are commonly used by…

Human Interface Device(also: HID, Input Device, Peripheral)

Any device used to facilitate interaction between a human and a computer, including keyboards, mice, trackballs, joysticks, touchscreens, switches, and eye-tracking systems. The USB HID standard defines a protocol for these devices that enables plug-and-play compatibility. For…

Imagined Device(also: Imaginary Device, Imagined Input Device)

An input device that exists only in the user's imagination, with no physical form, operated through gestures that draw on mental models of a real counterpart such as a smartphone, remote control, or joystick. Imagined devices are typically enacted on or around the body - for…

Joystick(also: Adaptive Joystick)

A joystick is an input device with a lever that tilts in multiple directions to control cursor movement on screen, used as an alternative pointing device by people with motor impairments who have difficulty using a standard mouse. Adaptive joysticks come in various forms — some…

Microsoft Kinect(also: Kinect, Kinect sensor)

A motion-sensing device that captures RGB video, depth images, and skeletal tracking data simultaneously. Originally developed for gaming, the Kinect became widely adopted in accessibility research due to its affordable price point (compared to laboratory equipment) and ability…

On-Screen Keyboard(also: Virtual Keyboard, Software Keyboard, OSK)

A software application that displays a visual representation of a keyboard on the computer screen, allowing users to type by selecting keys with a pointing device, head tracker, eye gaze system, or switch. On-screen keyboards are essential assistive technology for people who…

Single Switch(also: Single Switch Access, One Switch)

An assistive technology input device that provides a single binary action — on or off — enabling people with severe motor impairments to interact with computers and communication devices. Switches can be activated by virtually any reliable voluntary movement, including a blink,…

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…

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…

Trackball

A trackball is a pointing device consisting of a ball housed in a stationary socket that the user rotates to move the on-screen cursor, with buttons nearby for clicking. Unlike a mouse, a trackball does not require arm movement across a surface, making it valuable for people…

VR Controllers(also: Virtual Reality Controllers, Motion Controllers)

Handheld input devices used to interact with virtual reality environments, typically requiring users to grip, hold, and manipulate buttons, triggers, and joysticks. Standard VR controllers present significant accessibility barriers for users with limited hand strength, reduced…

19 results.