Glossary

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

16 results found in Sensors.

Activity Monitoring (Activity Recognition, Activity Tracking)
The use of sensors, algorithms, and computational models to automatically detect and track a person's actions and behaviours within an environment. In assistive technology contexts, activity monitorin…
Bio-Electrical Signal (Biosignal, Bioelectrical Signal, Physiological Signal)
A bio-electrical signal is an electrical potential generated by biological processes in the human body, including muscle contractions (EMG), brain activity (EEG), eye movements (EOG), heart rhythms (E…
Corneal Reflection (Pupil-Center Corneal Reflection, PCCR)
An eye tracking technique that works by shining a near-infrared light at the eye and measuring the relationship between the reflection off the cornea (the bright spot called the glint) and the center …
Depth Sensing (Depth Perception (computer vision), 3D Sensing)
The ability of a sensor or system to measure the distance from itself to objects in the scene, producing a depth map or point cloud rather than a flat image. Common approaches include stereo vision (t…
Digital Compass (Electronic Compass, Magnetometer)
An electronic sensor that detects the Earth's magnetic field to determine the direction a person or device is facing, providing heading information in degrees or cardinal directions. In assistive tech…
Electromagnetic Tracking (Magnetic Tracking, 6-DOF Tracking)
Electromagnetic tracking is a position and orientation sensing technology that uses electromagnetic fields to determine the location and rotation of a sensor in three-dimensional space. Systems like t…
Electrooculogram (EOG, Electrooculography)
The electrooculogram (EOG) is a technique for measuring the electrical potential difference between the front and back of the eye using surface electrodes placed around the eyes. This corneal-retinal …
Location Awareness (Location-Aware Computing, Location Sensing)
The ability of a computing system to determine and respond to the physical location of a user or device, typically using GPS, Wi-Fi positioning, cellular triangulation, or other sensing technologies. …
Multimodal Sensing (Multi-Modal Sensing)
The simultaneous capture of data through multiple sensor channels - for example, combining physiological signals (heart rate, galvanic skin response, skin temperature) with behavioural signals (motion…
Passive Infrared Sensor (PIR Sensor, PIR, Motion Sensor)
A passive infrared sensor detects movement by measuring changes in ambient infrared radiation in its field of view — typically body heat from a person moving across the detection zone. PIR sensors are…
Physiological Sensing (Biosensing)
Measuring bodily signals - such as heart rate, galvanic skin response, skin temperature, respiration, or muscle activity - to infer aspects of a user's physical or affective state. Physiological sensi…
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…
Signal Drift (Baseline Drift, DC Drift)
Signal drift is the gradual, unintended change in the baseline level of a measured signal over time, caused by factors unrelated to the intended measurement. In bio-electrical sensing for assistive te…
Surface Electromyography (sEMG, Surface EMG)
A non-invasive technique for measuring the electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles, using electrodes placed on the skin over the muscle. Surface EMG is used in biomechanics, prosthetic contro…
Ultra-Wideband (UWB, Ultra wideband)
A short-range radio-frequency technology that uses very wide frequency bands (typically above 500 MHz) and very short pulses to enable centimetre-accurate distance and angle-of-arrival measurements be…
Visual Evoked Potential (VEP, Visually Evoked Response, VERP)
A visual evoked potential (VEP) is an electrical signal generated by the brain's visual cortex in response to a visual stimulus, typically a flash of light or a pattern change. VEPs are measured using…