Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
899 results found in Assistive Technology.
- Humanoid Robot (Humanoid)
- A robot whose physical form approximates a human body, typically with a head, torso, two arms, and (in bipedal designs) two legs. Humanoid robots are studied in accessibility research as embodied demo…
- Humming Interface (Control-by-Humming, Hum-Based Interface)
- A human-computer interaction method that uses hummed pitch patterns as control signals for operating devices. In a humming interface, a pitch detection algorithm analyses the user's hummed input, segm…
- IAccessible2 (IA2)
- An open accessibility API specification originally developed by IBM and donated to the Linux Foundation. IAccessible2 extends Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) to support the richer semantic infor…
- IC2D (Integrated Communication 2 Draw)
- A drawing application developed at UC Berkeley that enables blind and visually impaired users to create, explore, and label graphical images using a keyboard-operated grid-based auditory interface. IC…
- Icon-Based Communication (Symbol-Based Communication, Picture-Based Communication)
- Icon-based communication is a form of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in which users select graphic symbols or icons representing words, phrases, or concepts to construct messages. Th…
- Idiosyncratic Gesture (Personalised Gesture, Idiosyncratic Movement)
- A body-based communicative movement whose form and meaning are specific to one individual (and often to one communication partner), rather than drawn from a shared vocabulary like American Sign Langua…
- Image Description App (Visual assistance app, AI visual description app)
- A smartphone or wearable application that captures an image of the user's surroundings and returns a spoken or textual description of its content, aimed primarily at blind and low-vision users. Early …
- Image Enhancement (Image Pre-Compensation, Visual Enhancement)
- Image enhancement in the context of accessibility refers to techniques that modify digital images or on-screen content to improve their visibility and usability for people with visual impairments. Met…
- Image-to-3D Generation (Image-to-3D Conversion, 2D-to-3D Generation)
- An AI-powered process that converts two-dimensional images into three-dimensional digital models suitable for manipulation, rendering, or physical fabrication via 3D printing. In assistive technology …
- Imagined Voluntary Movement-Related Potentials (IVMRPs, Motor Imagery Potentials)
- Electrical brain signals generated when a person imagines performing a voluntary movement without actually executing it. These potentials, detectable via EEG electrodes placed over motor cortex areas,…
- Impulse Engine (Impulse Engine 3000)
- The Impulse Engine 3000 was a force-feedback haptic device manufactured by Immersion Corporation in the 1990s, used for research into haptic interfaces and virtual reality. The device featured a probe…
- In-Situ Intervention (in-context intervention, just-in-time intervention)
- An in-situ intervention is a technological or design feature that is invoked within a user's existing workflow and context, rather than requiring them to switch to a separate application or interrupt …
- Inception-v3 (Inception v3)
- A deep convolutional neural network architecture developed by Google for image recognition, introduced in 2015. It uses "inception modules" that apply multiple convolution filter sizes in parallel to …
- Individual-Technology Fit (ITF, User-Technology Match)
- A framework for matching individual users with the most appropriate assistive technology based on their personal characteristics and the technology's requirements. In brain-computer interface contexts…
- Indoor Localization (Indoor Positioning, Indoor Positioning System, IPS)
- The problem of determining the precise location of a person or device inside a building, where GPS signals are weak or unavailable. Indoor localization is foundational for accessible wayfinding system…
- Indoor Positioning System (IPS)
- A technology system that determines the location of people or objects inside buildings where GPS signals are unavailable or unreliable. Indoor positioning systems use various technologies including Wi…
- Indoor navigation (Indoor wayfinding, Indoor positioning)
- Technologies and design strategies that help people orient themselves and find their way within buildings and enclosed spaces such as airports, hospitals, and shopping centres. Unlike outdoor navigati…
- Inertial Sensing (IMU sensing, Inertial measurement)
- The use of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers — often built into smartphones and wearable devices — to measure motion, orientation, and direction of movement. In accessibility applications,…
- Inertial Sensor (IMU, Inertial Measurement Unit)
- A sensor device that measures acceleration, rotation, and orientation using accelerometers and gyroscopes, often combined with magnetometers. In assistive technology, inertial sensors are used to trac…
- Inertial measurement unit (IMU)
- A sensor device that combines accelerometers, gyroscopes, and sometimes magnetometers to measure and report body movement, orientation, and gravitational forces. IMUs are widely used in assistive tech…