Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
94 results found in navigation.
- A* Path Planning (A-star algorithm, A* search)
- A classic graph-search algorithm (Hart, Nilsson, and Raphael, 1968) that finds the shortest or lowest-cost path between two points by combining the cost already travelled with a heuristic estimate of …
- AR Marker (Fiducial marker, Augmented reality marker)
- A printed visual pattern (often a square with a distinctive black-and-white code) placed in the environment that a smartphone or AR headset camera can recognise to determine its own position and orien…
- Accessibility Map (Accessible Route Map, Wheelchair Accessibility Map)
- A map that displays information about the physical accessibility features and barriers of an environment, such as the presence of curb ramps, steps, slopes, surface conditions, and accessible entrance…
- Accessible Pedestrian Signal (APS, Audible Pedestrian Signal, Audible Traffic Signal)
- A device integrated into pedestrian signal systems at traffic intersections that communicates walk and don't-walk information to pedestrians who are blind or have low vision through audible tones, ver…
- Audible Pedestrian Signal (APS, Accessible Pedestrian Signal)
- A device attached to a pedestrian crossing traffic signal that conveys the WALK and DON'T WALK phases through non-visual cues — typically beeps, chirps, speech messages, or a vibrating tactile arrow i…
- Audio Beacon (Auditory Beacon, Sound Beacon)
- A spatial audio cue, typically a repeating tone or beep, attached to a specific location or object to help users with visual impairments navigate toward or identify points of interest in physical or v…
- Auditory Map (Audio Map, Sonic Map)
- An auditory map is an audio-based representation of geographical information designed to enable blind and visually impaired users to access and understand spatial environments without relying on visio…
- Aural Glancing
- The auditory equivalent of visually glancing at a web page — the ability for screen reader users to quickly get a sense of what sections and content are available on a page without being forced to lis…
- Autonomous Navigation Robot (Autonomous guide robot, Self-navigating robot)
- A mobile robot that plans and executes its own path through an environment to deliver a user or payload to a chosen destination, using onboard sensors (LiDAR, cameras, IMU) and a map for localisation,…
- BLE Beacon (Bluetooth Low Energy Beacon, iBeacon, Bluetooth Beacon)
- A BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) beacon is a small wireless transmitter that broadcasts a signal at regular intervals, which can be detected by nearby smartphones to determine a user's indoor location. In…
- Blind Navigation (Non-visual navigation, Navigation for blind people)
- The subfield of navigation research and assistive technology that addresses how people who are blind or have low vision find their way through indoor and outdoor environments without relying on sight.…
- Bluetooth beacon (BLE beacon, iBeacon)
- A small wireless transmitter that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to broadcast signals to nearby devices, enabling indoor positioning and proximity detection. In accessibility applications, beacon net…
- Bone Conduction (Bone Conduction Headphones, Bone Conduction Audio)
- A method of transmitting sound vibrations through the bones of the skull directly to the inner ear, bypassing the outer and middle ear. Bone conduction headphones rest on the cheekbones or temples rat…
- Breadcrumb (Breadcrumb Navigation, Breadcrumb Trail, Breadcrumbs)
- A secondary navigation pattern that displays the user's current location within a site or application hierarchy as a series of linked steps, typically separated by arrows or slashes. Breadcrumbs help …
- Built environment
- The human-made surroundings that provide the setting for daily activity, encompassing buildings, streets, sidewalks, parks, transit systems, and all other constructed infrastructure. In accessibility,…
- Collision Prediction (Collision risk prediction, Trajectory prediction)
- The task of estimating the future trajectories of surrounding pedestrians and obstacles and determining whether any of them will intersect with a user's own future position within a short prediction h…
- Crosswalk detection (Pedestrian crossing detection, Zebra crossing detection)
- The automated identification and localization of marked pedestrian crossings in imagery using computer vision techniques. Crosswalk detection can be performed on satellite images, street-level photogr…
- Crowdsourced Accessibility Mapping (Collaborative Accessibility Mapping, Citizen-Sourced Accessibility Data)
- The practice of using contributions from members of the public to identify, report, and map accessibility barriers and features in physical or digital environments. In urban contexts, crowdsourced acc…
- Curb cut (Curb ramp, Dropped kerb, Pram ramp)
- A small ramp built into the curb of a sidewalk at intersections and pedestrian crossings, providing a smooth transition between the sidewalk and the street. Originally mandated for wheelchair users un…
- 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…