Glossary

Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.

899 results found in Assistive Technology.

Calibration-Free Interface (Zero-Shot Interface, Plug-and-Play Interface, Cross-User Model)
An input system that works for a new user without any per-user training or calibration data, typically by relying on models trained on large multi-user datasets that capture enough physiological and b…
Camera Phone (Smartphone Camera, Mobile Camera)
A camera phone is a mobile phone equipped with a built-in image sensor, which in an accessibility context serves as the input device for a wide class of vision-based assistive applications. Modern sma…
Camera-based assistive technology (Camera-based AT, Vision-based AT, VBAT)
Assistive technologies that use cameras (typically smartphone cameras or smart glasses) combined with computer vision and AI to provide visual information to blind and low-vision users. Applications i…
Cane Technique (White Cane Technique, Long Cane Technique)
The set of physical methods a blind or low-vision person uses to manipulate a long white cane while traveling. Common techniques include the two-point touch (side-to-side sweeping, touching ground at …
Caregiver Support (Carer Support, Family Support)
Assistance, training, and resources provided to family members, paid carers, and other individuals who support people with disabilities in daily life. In the context of assistive technology, caregiver…
Cause and Effect Software (Cause and Effect Games, Contingency Learning Software)
Simple interactive software designed for users with significant cognitive or motor disabilities, where any input (such as pressing a switch) produces an immediate sensory response (visual, auditory, o…
Cell Navigation (Table Cell Navigation, Cell-by-Cell Navigation)
Cell navigation is a method of accessing tabular data non-visually by moving between individual cells using directional commands (up, down, left, right). Rather than reading a table linearly from top-…
Chairable (Chair-based interface, Wheelchair-integrated technology)
A design concept for input and output devices that are integrated directly into a wheelchair frame, enabling users to interact with assistive technology without requiring a separate smartphone, wearab…
Chairable Technology (Chairable Input, Chairable Devices)
Input devices and interactive technologies designed to integrate with the form of a wheelchair, analogous to how wearable technology fits with an individual's clothing. Chairable technology recognises…
ChamBadge (Chambadge)
A wearable accessible cell phone device developed as part of the Talking Braille ubiquitous computing system for indoor wayfinding. The ChamBadge combines a cell phone with a bone-conduction headset, …
Charge-Coupled Device (CCD)
An electronic light sensor used in cameras and scanners that converts light into electrical signals. CCDs capture images by accumulating electric charge in proportion to the intensity of light hitting…
ChatGPT (GPT, OpenAI ChatGPT)
ChatGPT is a conversational generative AI assistant developed by OpenAI, based on the GPT family of large language models. Users interact via a text chat interface and, in newer versions, through voic…
Chatbot (Virtual Assistant, Conversational Agent, Dialog System)
A software application that uses text or speech to conduct conversations with users, simulating human-like dialogue to provide information, perform tasks, or guide users through processes. In accessib…
Chording Keyboard (Chord Keyboard, Chorded Keyboard, Chording Input)
A text input device that generates characters by pressing multiple keys or moving multiple inputs simultaneously rather than pressing individual keys sequentially as on a standard keyboard. Similar to…
ChromeVox (ChromeVox Classic)
ChromeVox is an open-source screen reader developed by Google, built as a Chrome browser extension and serving as the default screen reader for Chrome OS (Chromebooks). Unlike traditional screen reade…
Clear Face Mask (Transparent Face Mask, Window Face Mask, See-Through Mask)
A face covering that incorporates a transparent panel over the mouth area, allowing deaf and hard of hearing people to lip-read and observe facial expressions during conversation. Clear face masks eme…
Click-Time Distribution (Timing Profile, Click Precision)
A statistical model of when a switch user activates their switch relative to a target timing event, used to characterize the precision and consistency of a user's motor control. In the Nomon interface…
Clicking Error (Click Slip, Selection Error)
An unintended mouse input that occurs during the clicking phase of target selection, distinct from errors in cursor positioning. Common clicking errors include slipping off the target (the cursor move…
Clutching (Clutch Mechanism, Clutch Gesture)
In gesture- and motion-based input systems, a mechanism that lets the user temporarily disengage the recogniser so that everyday, non-communicative movements — reaching, adjusting posture, gesturing s…
Co-Adaptive Design (Co-Adaptive Interaction, Mutual Adaptation)
A design approach where both the technology and its users adapt to each other over time through ongoing interaction. Rather than designing a fixed system that users must learn to operate, co-adaptive …