Glossary

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

89 results found in input methods.

Electromyography (EMG, Electromyogram)
Electromyography (EMG) is a technique for measuring the electrical activity produced by muscles when they contract or are at rest. In accessibility and assistive technology, EMG sensors placed on the …
Enhanced Area Touch (Area Touch, Expanded Touch Area)
A touchscreen interaction technique that enlarges the effective touch point from a single pixel to a larger circular area, expanding both the motor space (the physical area the user needs to target) a…
Eye Gaze (Gaze, Gaze Direction, Visual Gaze)
The direction and focus of a person's eyes during visual attention, used both as a communication signal and as a measurable indicator of cognitive processing. In sign language communication, eye gaze …
Eye Gaze Communication (Gaze-Based Communication, Eye Tracking Communication)
The use of eye movements and gaze direction as a means of communication, either naturally (making eye contact, looking at objects to indicate interest) or through technology (eye-tracking systems that…
Eye Tracking (Gaze Tracking)
Technology that detects and follows the movement of a user's eyes, enabling gaze-based interaction, attention monitoring, and foveated rendering. In accessibility contexts, eye tracking serves as an a…
Eye-Gaze Control (Gaze Control, Eye-Controlled Interface, Gaze-Based Input)
An input method that uses eye-tracking technology to detect where a user is looking and translates gaze direction into control commands for computers, wheelchairs, communication devices, and other sys…
Eyelid Gesture (Eyelid Interaction, Eyelid-Based Input)
An eyelid gesture is a deliberate eye movement used as an input method for controlling digital devices, involving intentional opening and closing of one or both eyelids in specific patterns, sequences…
Face Tracking (Facial Tracking, Face Detection and Tracking)
A computer vision technology that detects and follows the position and movement of a user's face in real time using a camera or depth sensor. In accessibility, face tracking enables hands-free compute…
Facial Action Unit (Action Unit, AU, FACS Action Unit)
A component of the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) that represents a specific movement or position of facial muscles. Each action unit corresponds to a distinct facial movement, such as raising the…
Finger Tracking (Fingertip Tracking, Finger Detection, Hand Tracking)
Computer vision or sensor-based technology that detects and follows the position and movement of a user's fingers in real-time. In accessibility applications, finger tracking enables hands-free intera…
Fitts's Law (Fitts Law)
Fitts's law is a predictive model of human movement that describes the time required to rapidly move to a target area as a function of the distance to the target and the target's size. Widely used in …
Foot-Based Interaction (Foot Input, Foot Gesture Interaction)
An interaction technique that uses foot movements and gestures as input for controlling digital devices. Foot-based interaction is particularly relevant for people with upper body motor impairments wh…
Gaze (Eye Gaze, Gaze Direction, Point of Regard)
The direction in which a person is looking, typically measured as the point of visual fixation on a display or in a physical environment. Gaze tracking technology captures where users look and for how…
Gaze Input (Eye Tracking Input, Gaze-Based Interaction, Eye Control)
An input method that uses eye-tracking technology to detect where a user is looking, enabling interaction with digital interfaces through eye movements such as fixation (dwelling on a target), smooth …
Gaze Interaction (Gaze-Based Interaction, Gaze Input, Eye Gaze Control)
Gaze interaction is a method of controlling computers and devices by tracking where a person is looking on the screen. Using eye-tracking technology, the system detects the user's point of gaze and tr…
Gaze-Based Interaction (Gaze Input, Eye-Gaze Interaction, Gaze Control)
An interaction method where users control digital interfaces by directing their visual gaze at on-screen targets, typically detected through eye tracking or head orientation tracking. In accessibility…
Gesture Input (Gesture Recognition, Gesture-Based Interaction)
An input method that uses physical movements of the body — typically hands, fingers, arms, or head — to interact with digital systems. Gesture input includes touchscreen gestures (swipes, taps, pinche…
Gesture Recognition (Gesture Detection)
The computational process of identifying and interpreting human gestures—typically hand, arm, or body movements—using sensors and machine learning algorithms. Gesture recognition systems analyze data …
Gesture Typing (Swipe Typing, Trace Typing, Glide Typing, Shape Writing)
A text entry method on touchscreen devices where the user enters a word by continuously gliding their finger from letter to letter on a virtual keyboard without lifting it, rather than tapping each ke…
Gesture-Based Interface (Gestural Interface, Gesture Recognition Interface)
An interaction system that interprets human gestures—such as hand movements, body poses, or finger motions—as input commands. Gesture-based interfaces can use cameras, accelerometers, touch surfaces, …