Literature Reviews

Reviewed research papers, articles, and publications relevant to digital accessibility.

• Automated tactile graphics translation: in the field

  Chandrika Jayant, Matt Renzelmann, Dana Wen, Satria Krisnandi, Richard Ladner, Dan Comden (2007) — Proceedings of the 9th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '07)

  This paper describes two years of field work extending the Tactile Graphics Assistant (TGA), a system developed at the University of Washington to automate the translation of figures from mathematics, science, and engineering (STEM) textbooks into em…

  • tactile graphics
  • Braille
  • STEM accessibility
  • blindness and low vision
  • image processing
  • machine learning
  • OCR
  • automated alternative formats
  • mathematical accessibility
  • accessible publishing

• Evaluation of Onscreen Precompensation Algorithms for Computer Users with Visual Aberrations

  Miguel Alonso, Armando Barreto, Julie A. Jacko, Malek Adjouadi (2007) — Proceedings of the 9th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '07)

  This paper from Florida International University and Georgia Institute of Technology presents the results of human subject testing of precompensation algorithms designed to improve onscreen image quality for computer users with visual aberrations. Th…

  • low vision
  • visual aberration
  • precompensation
  • image processing
  • deconvolution
  • keratoconus
  • myopia
  • astigmatism
  • GUI accessibility
  • icon recognition

• Accommodating Color Blind Computer Users

  Luke Jefferson, Richard Harvey (2006) — Proceedings of the 8th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '06)

  This paper from the University of East Anglia presents an algorithm for recoloring digital images and documents so that color information is preserved for color blind viewers, particularly dichromats (people missing one type of cone cell). The algori…

  • color vision deficiency
  • color blindness
  • dichromacy
  • color remapping
  • color contrast
  • visual accessibility
  • image processing
  • optimization

• A Multi-domain Approach for Enhancing Text Display for Users with Visual Aberrations

  Miguel Alonso, Armando Barreto, Julie A. Jacko, Malek Adjouadi (2006) — Proceedings of the 8th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '06)

  This paper from Florida International University and Georgia Institute of Technology presents an algorithm for enhancing text displayed on computer screens for users with high-order visual aberrations such as keratoconus — conditions that cannot be f…

  • low vision
  • visual aberrations
  • image processing
  • pre-compensation
  • refractive errors
  • keratoconus
  • display enhancement
  • computer vision

• Automatic Production of Tactile Graphics from Scalable Vector Graphics

  Stephen E. Krufka, Kenneth E. Barner (2005) — Proceedings of the 7th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '05)

  This paper from the University of Delaware presents a method for automatically converting Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) into tactile representations for blind users using a Braille embosser. The key innovation exploits the hierarchical tree structur…

  • tactile graphics
  • blindness
  • scalable vector graphics
  • braille embosser
  • image accessibility
  • edge detection
  • image processing
  • accessible graphics
  • web accessibility

• Automating Tactile Graphics Translation

  Richard E. Ladner, Melody Y. Ivory, Rajesh Rao, Sheryl Burgstahler, Dan Comden, Sangyun Hahn, Matthew Renzelmann, Satria Krisnandi, Mahalakshmi Ramasamy, Beverly Slabosky, Andrew Martin, Amelia Lacenski, Stuart Olsen, Dmitri Groce (2005) — Proceedings of the 7th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '05)

  This paper addresses the critical shortage of tactile graphics available to blind students in mathematics, science, and engineering (MSE) courses. Postsecondary science textbooks may have images on half their pages — sometimes up to 500 images per bo…

  • tactile graphics
  • braille
  • STEM accessibility
  • image processing
  • machine learning
  • visual impairment
  • assistive technology
  • automation
  • accessible publishing

• Verification of Computer Display Pre-compensation for Visual Aberrations in an Artificial Eye

  Miguel Alonso Jr., Armando Barreto, Julie A. Jacko, Malek Adjouadi (2005) — Proceedings of the 7th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '05)

  This paper presents experimental verification that computer display images can be pre-compensated to counteract the visual aberrations present in an optical system, specifically tested using a constructed artificial eye. The research builds on earlie…

  • low vision
  • image processing
  • display technology
  • visual impairment
  • optical devices
  • assistive technology

• Image Pre-Compensation to Facilitate Computer Access for Users with Refractive Errors

  Miguel Alonso, Armando Barreto, J. Gualberto Cremades (2003) — Proceedings of the 6th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (Assets '04)

  This paper presents a novel approach to improving computer access for people with refractive visual errors by pre-compensating displayed images using knowledge of the user's specific optical aberration. The core insight is that the human eye can be m…

  • low vision
  • visual impairment
  • refractive error
  • image processing
  • visual acuity
  • computer vision
  • personalization
  • display technology
  • assistive technology

• Tactile Imaging Using Watershed-Based Image Segmentation

  Sergio E. Hernandez, Kenneth E. Barner (2000) — Proceedings of the Fourth International ACM Conference on Assistive Technologies (Assets '00)

  This paper from the University of Delaware proposes a new image segmentation method for automatically converting visual images into tactile representations suitable for display on tactile devices such as microcapsule (swell) paper. The core problem a…

  • tactile graphics
  • image processing
  • blindness and low vision
  • image accessibility
  • computer vision
  • non-visual access
  • accessible graphics

• Automated Description Generation for Indoor Floor Maps

  Devi A. Paladugu, Hima Bindu Maguluri, Qiongjie Tian, Baoxin Li (2012) — Proceedings of the 14th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2012)

  This demonstration paper presents a prototype system that automatically generates verbal descriptions of indoor floor maps to support navigation for people with visual impairments. The system addresses a practical gap: while tools like canes, guide d…

  • visual impairment
  • indoor navigation
  • wayfinding
  • image processing
  • floor plans
  • verbal description
  • web crawling
  • landmark detection