Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
49 results found in Hardware.
- Microelectrode Array (Utah Array, MEA)
- A small grid of fine recording electrodes (typically 96 silicon shanks in a 4mm x 4mm Utah array) surgically implanted into the cerebral cortex to record the electrical activity of individual neurons …
- Motion capture (Mocap)
- The process of recording the movement of objects or people, typically using optical systems with reflective markers, depth cameras, or body-worn sensors. Motion capture is used in accessibility resear…
- Mouse (Computer Mouse, Optical Mouse)
- A mouse is a hand-operated pointing device that translates relative motion across a flat surface into movement of an on-screen cursor, with one or more buttons and usually a scroll wheel for selection…
- Myo Armband (Thalmic Myo)
- A commercially available wearable gesture-recognition armband released by Thalmic Labs in 2014 and discontinued in 2018, containing eight dry sEMG electrodes sampling at 200 Hz plus a 9-axis IMU. Desp…
- NFC (Near Field Communication)
- A short-range wireless communication technology that enables data exchange between devices held within a few centimetres of each other. NFC is built into most modern smartphones and can read passive N…
- NFC accessibility (NFC tags for accessibility)
- The use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to make physical objects, materials, and environments accessible to people with disabilities. NFC tags can be embedded in physical cards, objects, …
- Novint Falcon
- A consumer-grade 3D haptic input device originally marketed for gaming that has been widely adopted in accessibility research for providing force feedback to people with visual impairments. The device…
- Olfactory Display (Olfactory Interface, Olfactory Feedback, Smell Display, Scent Display)
- An olfactory display is a hardware system that delivers controlled scent stimuli to a user, typically as part of a virtual reality, augmented reality, or multisensory interaction system. Designs range…
- PS5 Access Controller (PlayStation Access Controller, Access Controller)
- Sony's highly customisable controller for PlayStation 5, released in 2023 and designed for players with limited motor control. It has a flat disc layout with interchangeable button caps and analog sti…
- Pantograph (Haptic Pantograph)
- A haptic input device that allows users to explore a two-dimensional surface by physically moving a stylus or finger pad across an exploration area, while receiving tactile feedback from an attached t…
- Passive Pin Retention
- A mechanical technique used in refreshable Braille display design where pins are held in their raised or lowered positions by a passive mechanical structure rather than by continuously powered actuato…
- Piezo Vibrator (Piezoelectric Vibrator, Piezoelectric Actuator)
- A device that converts electrical signals into mechanical vibrations using the piezoelectric effect, commonly used in tactile displays and haptic feedback systems for assistive technology. Piezo vibra…
- Piezoelectric Actuator (Piezo Actuator, Piezoelectric Bimorph)
- A device that converts electrical energy into precise mechanical motion using the piezoelectric effect — the property of certain materials to change shape when an electric voltage is applied. In assis…
- Pin-Matrix Display (Tactile Pin Display, Pin Array Display, Two-Dimensional Braille Display)
- A refreshable tactile display technology that uses a grid of individually controllable pins to create two-dimensional tactile images, as opposed to single-line refreshable Braille displays that show o…
- Portable Reader (Portable Reading Device, Portable Reading Machine)
- An assistive technology device that combines a camera or scanner with optical character recognition and text-to-speech output to enable blind or visually impaired users to read printed text independen…
- Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
- A printed circuit board (PCB) is a flat board, typically made of fibreglass-reinforced epoxy laminate with copper traces, that mechanically supports and electrically connects electronic components. PC…
- Public Access System (Kiosk, Self-Service Terminal, Public Information Kiosk, Interactive Kiosk)
- Interactive computer terminals placed in public locations for use by the general population, including ticket vending machines, ATMs, check-in kiosks, and information displays. These systems present u…
- QWERTY Keyboard (QWERTY)
- A QWERTY keyboard is the dominant Latin-script keyboard layout, named for the first six letters on the top row, originally designed for mechanical typewriters and carried forward into computers and mo…
- 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…
- Skin Stretch Display (Skin Stretch, Lateral Skin Deformation Display, STReSS)
- A type of haptic display technology that produces tactile feedback by laterally stretching the skin of the user's fingertip, rather than using raised pins or vibration. Skin stretch displays typically…