Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
840 results found in assistive technology.
- Cursor Tethering (Cursor Sync, Cursor Following)
- A collaborative editing feature that automatically synchronizes one user's cursor position to match another user's cursor location in a shared document or code file. Unlike visual Follow mode (which s…
- Cyborg (Cybernetic Organism)
- A being that integrates both organic and technological components, extending human capabilities through mechanical or digital augmentation. In disability studies and accessibility research, the cyborg…
- DIY AAC (Do-It-Yourself AAC, Self-Made AAC, Bespoke AAC)
- Augmentative and alternative communication tools created or significantly customized by the users themselves rather than prescribed by clinicians or purchased as commercial products. DIY AAC ranges fr…
- DIY Assistive Technology (DIY-AT, Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology)
- Assistive technology that is designed, fabricated, or modified by individuals, communities, or non-commercial entities rather than purchased from commercial manufacturers. DIY-AT often uses accessible…
- DIY Assistive Technology (Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology, Maker Assistive Technology)
- DIY assistive technology refers to the practice of creating, modifying, or adapting assistive devices and tools through do-it-yourself methods, often using digital fabrication technologies such as 3D …
- DIY-AT (Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology, DIY Assistive Technology)
- Assistive technology that is custom-made — often using digital fabrication, low-cost electronics, 3D printing, or everyday craft materials — by or with disabled people, their families, therapists, or …
- Daltonization (Recolouring, Color Remapping)
- Daltonization is a computational technique that modifies the colours in an image or on a screen to make them more distinguishable for people with colour vision deficiency (CVD). Named after John Dalto…
- Dasher
- A zooming text entry interface in which users write by navigating through a world of nested boxes, each labeled with a letter and sized proportionally to its probability under a language model. Users …
- Data Glove (digital glove, sensor glove, wired glove)
- A wearable input device equipped with sensors to capture hand and finger movements, positions, and orientations. Data gloves use technologies like gyroscopes, accelerometers, flex sensors, or fiber op…
- Data-to-Text (Data-to-Text Generation, Data-to-Text NLG)
- A subfield of natural language generation (NLG) that automatically produces human-readable text from structured data, such as databases, spreadsheets, or sensor readings. Data-to-text systems analyze …
- DataGlove (Data Glove, Sensor Glove, Cyber Glove)
- A wearable input device fitted with sensors that captures hand shape, finger position, and hand orientation data in real time. Originally developed by VPL Research in the 1980s, DataGloves were used e…
- Dead Reckoning (Inertial Navigation, Pedestrian Dead Reckoning, PDR)
- Dead reckoning is a navigation technique that estimates a user's current position by tracking their movement from a known starting point, using data from inertial sensors such as accelerometers and gy…
- Deformable Input (Flexible Input Surface)
- An input method that uses physically flexible or pressure-sensitive surfaces that can be bent, squeezed, twisted, or otherwise deformed to generate control signals. Deformable input devices can provid…
- Depth Sensor (Depth Camera, RGB-D Sensor, 3D Sensor)
- A device that captures three-dimensional depth information about a scene in addition to standard two-dimensional imagery. Depth sensors measure the distance from the camera to objects in the environme…
- Descriptive Video Service (DVS, Described Video)
- A service that provides audio descriptions of visual content in television programs, films, and other video media for blind and low-vision viewers. Originally developed by WGBH in Boston in the 1980s,…
- Developmental screening (Early developmental screening, Autism screening)
- A brief, standardized assessment process used to identify infants and young children who may be at risk for developmental delays or disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder. Common screening i…
- Device Abandonment (Technology Abandonment, AT Abandonment)
- The phenomenon where users stop using an assistive technology device after initial adoption. In AAC, abandonment rates are notably high and stem from multiple factors including devices that do not mat…
- Device Customization (AT Customization, Personalization)
- The process of modifying or tailoring an assistive device to meet the specific physical, cognitive, or sensory needs of an individual user. Customization can range from simple adjustments like resizin…
- Device Fit (AT Fit, Assistive Device Fit)
- The degree to which an assistive technology device matches the physical, cognitive, and contextual needs of its user. Good device fit encompasses physical dimensions, grip requirements, material prope…
- Device Switching (Device Transition, Cross-Device Interaction)
- The process of moving between different computing devices to complete tasks, such as switching from a smartphone to a laptop or tablet. For people with motor impairments, particularly wheelchair users…