Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
899 results found in Assistive Technology.
- Braille Translator (Braille translation software)
- Software that converts print text (and sometimes marked-up content such as LaTeX or MathML) into correctly formatted Braille output, applying contractions, code switches, and page-layout rules. Braill…
- Braille display (Refreshable braille display, Braille terminal)
- An electromechanical device that renders text as tactile braille characters using small pins that raise and lower dynamically. Braille displays connect to computers and mobile devices, enabling blind …
- Brailler (Braille Writer, Perkins Brailler)
- A mechanical or electronic device for writing Braille, functioning similarly to a typewriter with six keys corresponding to the six dots of a Braille cell. Braillers are significantly faster and easie…
- Brain-Computer Interface (BCI, Brain-Machine Interface, BMI, Neural Interface)
- A technology that enables direct communication between the brain and an external device by detecting and interpreting neural activity, typically through electroencephalography (EEG) or electromyograph…
- Brain-Computer Interface (BCI, Brain-Machine Interface, BMI, Neural Interface)
- A technology that enables direct communication between the brain and an external device by detecting and interpreting neural signals. BCIs can use invasive methods (implanted electrodes) or non-invasi…
- BrainGate (BrainGate2)
- A long-running multi-site clinical trial program (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00912041) that evaluates implantable intracortical brain-computer interfaces in people with paralysis from spinal cord injury, A…
- Breath Control (Sip-and-Puff Control, Pneumatic Input)
- An assistive technology input method that uses breath pressure — blowing or sipping through a sensor — to control a computer, device, or instrument. Breath control is particularly valuable for individ…
- Breathing Input (Breath-based Input, Puff Input)
- An alternative computer input method that uses deliberate breath actions — such as puffing, blowing, or inhaling — detected by a microphone or pressure sensor as control signals for navigating interfa…
- Browser Accessibility (Accessible Browsing, Web Browser Accessibility)
- The degree to which web browsers themselves are usable by people with disabilities and age-related impairments, distinct from the accessibility of web content. Browser accessibility encompasses built-…
- Browser Extension (Browser Plugin, Browser Add-On)
- A software module that adds functionality to a web browser, typically installed from a browser's extension store. Browser extensions are a common delivery mechanism for accessibility tools because the…
- Browser Helper Object (BHO)
- A plugin module for web browsers (originally Internet Explorer) that loads with each browser instance and has access to the Document Object Model and browser events. In accessibility contexts, BHOs ha…
- Brute-Force Fallback (Reset Strategy, Exhaustive Recovery)
- A workaround strategy employed by assistive technology users when standard interaction methods fail, involving systematically trying all available options or completely restarting a task from a known …
- Bubble Cursor (Dynamic Cursor, Area Cursor)
- An enhanced pointing technique that dynamically resizes the cursor's activation area to make target selection easier, particularly for users with motor impairments. The bubble cursor expands to encomp…
- 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…
- C-Print (C-Print Pro)
- A meaning-for-meaning real-time captioning service where a trained captioner produces a condensed transcription of spoken classroom content, as opposed to the verbatim word-for-word transcription prov…
- CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation, Computer-Aided Real-Time Translation)
- A real-time captioning service in which a trained stenographer uses a specialized keyboard to transcribe spoken language into text as it is spoken, typically achieving accuracy rates above 98%. CART i…
- CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation, Real-Time Captioning, Realtime Captioning)
- A professional service providing instant, verbatim text display of spoken content, typically delivered by trained stenographers using specialized equipment. CART achieves accuracy rates of 98% or high…
- CCTV (Closed Circuit Television, Video Magnifier, Desktop Video Magnifier, Electronic Magnifier)
- A camera-based magnification system used by people with low vision to enlarge text and images on a monitor. Traditional CCTVs consist of a camera mounted over a reading platform that captures material…
- CCTV Magnifier (Closed-Circuit Television Magnifier, Video Magnifier, Desktop Video Magnifier)
- An assistive device that uses a camera to capture an image of text or objects and displays it magnified on a screen, typically a television or computer monitor. CCTV magnifiers are one of the most wid…
- CaBot (Carry-on Robot, Carnegie Mellon Suitcase Robot)
- A research project begun in 2017 at Carnegie Mellon University that developed a suitcase-shaped autonomous navigation robot to guide blind and low-vision travellers through indoor public spaces. CaBot…