Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
89 results found in input methods.
- AssistiveTouch
- An iOS accessibility feature that provides an on-screen menu of customizable touch-based shortcuts, allowing users to perform gestures and actions that might otherwise require physical buttons or comp…
- Bimanual Interaction (Two-Handed Interaction)
- Interaction techniques in computing and VR that require the coordinated use of both hands simultaneously, such as holding two controllers, performing gestures with both hands, or operating dual joysti…
- Braille Input (Braille Keyboard Input, Braille Screen Input)
- A text entry method that allows users to type characters using Braille code on a device, rather than a standard QWERTY keyboard. On touchscreen devices, Braille input typically maps finger taps or ges…
- 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)
- A direct communication pathway between the brain and an external device that enables users to control computers, prosthetics, or other systems using neural signals rather than physical movement. BCIs …
- 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…
- 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…
- Camera Mouse (Head-Controlled Mouse Pointer, Head Tracking Mouse)
- A computer-vision-based mouse-replacement system that tracks a user's head motion through a standard webcam to control the mouse pointer on screen. Developed at Boston University by Margrit Betke and …
- 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…
- Chord Entry (Chording, Chord Input, Chordal Input)
- A method of text input where multiple keys are pressed simultaneously to produce a single character, rather than pressing keys sequentially. In braille keyboards such as the Perkins Brailler, chord en…
- 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…
- Click-on-Lift (Lift-off Activation, Release Activation)
- An interaction technique where a touch target is activated only when the user lifts their finger from the screen while still within the target area, rather than registering the action at the point of …
- Dead Time (Wait Time, Idle Time)
- In scanning-based assistive technology interfaces, the period during which a user must passively wait before they can make their next input action. In row-column scanning, dead time occurs while waiti…
- 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…
- Digital Crown (Watch Crown, Rotary Input)
- A physical rotary input control on the Apple Watch and some other smartwatches that can be turned to scroll, navigate, or adjust values. The digital crown provides tactile, proportional input that doe…
- Disambiguation (Target Disambiguation, Touch Disambiguation)
- In accessible interface design, disambiguation is the process of resolving ambiguity when a user's input could correspond to more than one interactive target. This commonly occurs on touchscreens wher…
- Drag and Drop (DnD)
- An interaction pattern in which users select an on-screen object by pressing and holding, then move it to a new location before releasing. Drag and drop is widely used in visual programming environmen…
- Dwell Control (Dwell Click, Dwell Selection, Dwell-Time Activation)
- An input method in which a user activates a target — such as a button, link, or key — by holding a pointer or gaze over it for a specified period of time rather than clicking or tapping. Dwell control…
- Dwell Selection (Dwell Click, Dwell Time Selection, Hover Click)
- An interaction technique where a user activates or selects an on-screen element by keeping a cursor, gaze point, or pointer within the target area for a specified duration (the dwell time), rather tha…