Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
899 results found in Assistive Technology.
- Pupillometry (Pupil Dilation Measurement)
- A psychophysiological measurement technique that tracks changes in pupil diameter as an objective indicator of cognitive workload, mental effort, and emotional arousal. In accessibility research, pupi…
- Push-to-Talk (PTT, Push to talk)
- An interaction pattern where a user presses and holds (or taps) a dedicated button to signal the start of an input — historically used in two-way radios, now common in voice assistants and conversatio…
- QUEST (Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology)
- A standardised outcome measure designed to evaluate a person's satisfaction with their assistive technology device and the services related to it. QUEST 2.0 consists of 12 items rated on a five-point …
- RESOLV Icons (Representational Enumerated Semi-transparent Overlaid Labels for Voice)
- A visual disambiguation technique for voice interfaces where semi-transparent numbered labels are overlaid on screen elements that match an ambiguous voice command. When a user speaks a command that c…
- RGBD Camera (RGB-D Camera, Depth Camera, Stereo Camera)
- A camera that captures both a colour (RGB) image and a per-pixel depth (D) measurement of the scene, yielding a 3D representation of the environment. Depth can be produced by stereo vision, structured…
- RSSI Fingerprinting (Received Signal Strength Fingerprinting, Radio Fingerprinting, Signal Fingerprinting)
- An indoor localization technique in which a device estimates its position by comparing the current pattern of received signal strengths (RSSI) from surrounding radio sources — most commonly Bluetooth …
- Radial Direction (Angular Direction, Heading, Bearing (audio display))
- In auditory-display research, a data value that represents a direction in a plane — for example a compass bearing, the tangent of a curve, or the orientation of a pointer — treated as an angle rather …
- Raised Line Drawing (Raised Line Graphic, Tactile Line Drawing, Swell Paper Drawing)
- A graphic representation in which lines and shapes are physically raised above the surface of paper or another substrate so they can be perceived by touch. Raised line drawings are a fundamental tool …
- Raised-Line Drawing (Raised-Line Picture, Tactile Line Drawing, Embossed Line Drawing)
- A raised-line drawing is a tactile representation of a visual image created by producing elevated lines on a surface that can be felt by touch, enabling blind and visually impaired people to perceive …
- Re-speaking (Respeaking, Speech-to-Text Relay)
- A captioning technique in which a trained operator listens to a speaker and repeats (re-speaks) their words clearly into a high-quality microphone in a controlled environment, allowing automatic speec…
- Reacher (Grabber, Reacher-Grabber, Grabber Tool)
- A reacher (also called a grabber or reacher-grabber) is a low-cost handheld assistive device — typically a lightweight aluminum or plastic shaft 60-90 cm long with a trigger handle at one end and a pa…
- Read-Aloud Technology (Read-Aloud Feature, Text Read-Aloud)
- Technology that converts written text to spoken audio output, allowing users to listen to content rather than or in addition to reading it visually. Read-aloud technology differs from general text-to-…
- Reading Support Technology (Reading Assistive Technology, Reading Aid)
- Any technology designed to make reading more accessible for people with disabilities, encompassing tools that support decoding, comprehension, readability, navigation, and literacy development. Readin…
- Real-Time Captioning (CART, Communication Access Realtime Translation, Live Captioning, Real-Time Text)
- The instant conversion of spoken language into text displayed simultaneously as speech occurs, provided either by a trained human captioner or through automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology. Re…
- Real-Time Captioning (Live Captioning, Live Transcription)
- The process of converting spoken language into text simultaneously as it is being spoken, displayed with minimal delay. Real-time captioning is essential for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to pa…
- Refreshable Braille Display (Braille Display, Braille Terminal, Refreshable Tactile Display, RBD)
- 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 …
- Refreshable Braille Display (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…
- Refreshable Graphics Display (Tactile Graphics Display, Dynamic Tactile Display)
- A device that presents tactile graphics and diagrams through an array of pins that can be individually raised or lowered to create dynamic, changeable tactile patterns. Unlike static tactile graphics …
- Region of Interest (ROI, Area of Interest, AOI)
- A specific area within an image, video frame, or user interface that has been identified as particularly relevant or important for analysis or user attention. In eye-tracking research, regions of inte…
- Relational Sovereignty
- A framework proposed by Jang, Carrington and Begel (2026) as a new goal (telos) for socially assistive technology, defined as the recognised authority of a disabled person to choose their relational m…