Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
6660 terms — page 215 of 333
- 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…
- Passive Pin Retention
- A mechanical technique used in refreshable Braille display design where pins are held in their raised or lowered positions by a passive mechanical structure rather than by continuously powered actuato…
- Passive Sensing (Passive Monitoring, Ambient Sensing)
- The collection of behavioral and physiological data through sensors without requiring active user input. In mental health contexts, passive sensing uses smartphone sensors (GPS, accelerometer, microph…
- Passive notification (Automatic notification, Push notification)
- Information delivered to a user automatically without requiring active input, triggered by context such as location, time, or system state. In assistive navigation for people with visual impairments, …
- Paternalism (Paternalistic Approach)
- The practice of making decisions for others based on the assumption that one knows what is best for them, without adequately consulting or empowering them to make their own choices. In disability cont…
- Path Integration
- A cognitive navigation process in which a person tracks their position relative to a starting point by continuously monitoring their movements — including direction changes, distance traveled, and tur…
- Patient Portal (Electronic Health Portal, Health Portal)
- A secure online platform that gives patients access to their personal health information, such as medical records, lab results, medication lists, and appointment summaries. Patient portals are intende…
- Pattern Glare
- A visual perceptual phenomenon where repeated striped or lined patterns cause discomfort, headaches, eyestrain, or visual distortions such as flickering, shimmering, or apparent movement. Pattern glar…
- Pattern Recognition
- A branch of machine learning and artificial intelligence focused on identifying regularities, patterns, and structures in data such as images, sounds, or sensor readings. In accessibility, pattern rec…
- Peak Velocity
- The maximum speed reached by a cursor or limb during a directed movement toward a target. In human-computer interaction research, peak velocity is a key metric for understanding pointing performance, …
- Pebbling
- A neurodivergent-coined term for the practice of expressing and receiving affection by sharing small tokens — often memes, short videos, articles, or other links — with loved ones. The term references…
- Pedagogic Culture (Pedagogical Culture)
- The ecosystem of shared debate, investigation, evaluation, and knowledge exchange that supports excellence in teaching and learning within a discipline. A healthy pedagogic culture involves systematic…
- Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)
- A concept from educational research referring to the intersection between a teacher's general pedagogical expertise (how to teach) and the specific content knowledge of their discipline (what to teach…
- Pedestrian Accessibility (Sidewalk Accessibility, Walkability)
- The degree to which outdoor pedestrian infrastructure — sidewalks, crosswalks, curb cuts, ramps, stairs, and pathways — enables people with diverse mobility needs to travel safely and independently on…
- Pedestrian Crossing (Crosswalk, Zebra crossing, Pedestrian crosswalk)
- A designated location on a road where pedestrians have legal priority, guidance, or protection to cross, typically marked by paint (zebra or ladder stripes), signs, or signal-controlled infrastructure…
- Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR, Inertial Navigation)
- A localization technique that estimates a pedestrian's position by tracking their movement from a known starting point using inertial sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes) found in smartphones. The …
- Pedestrian Detection (Person Detection, Human Detection)
- A computer vision task that identifies and locates people in images or video frames, typically using deep learning models such as convolutional neural networks. In accessibility applications, pedestri…
- Pedestrian Navigation (Pedestrian Wayfinding, On-Foot Navigation)
- Pedestrian navigation refers to wayfinding and route-following on foot in outdoor environments, including sidewalks, crosswalks, public transit access points, and shared streets. For blind and low vis…
- Pedestrian Navigation System (Pedestrian GPS, Walking Navigation)
- A navigation system designed specifically for people travelling on foot, as opposed to systems designed for car drivers. Pedestrian navigation systems must account for footpaths, crosswalks, stairs, p…
- Pedestrian Safety (Walking safety, Vulnerable road user safety)
- The field and practice of protecting people who walk — including those with disabilities, older adults, and children — from injury and death in road traffic environments. Pedestrian safety encompasses…