Interfaces+for+the+Disabled

Modern telecommunication technologies offer many possibilities for special needs adjustment. Thus, severely handicapped as well as elderly people can be enabled to live a self-determined life and take part in social and economic affairs. For example, telecommunication technology can compensate for an often prevailing lack of physical mobility, which is detrimental to the vocational integration of handicapped people. Recent developments in the design of human-machine interfaces have also resulted in interfaces which make access to computer-based equipment more difficult for visually disabled people.


 * Two low-cost human computer interfaces for the disabled to have full access to computers are softwares-based voice-controlled mouse and the second one is an accelerometer-based mouse.
 * INPH is a software layer, running on the end-user's computer, making easier the access to the Web for motor impaired persons. Browsing means a particularly high usage of both the mouse and the keyboard.
 * There exist many types of adapted physical interfaces replacing the mouse, making use of the various abilities of the motor impaired persons. INPH is compatible with most of them.Its design was based on many years of work in the field, enriched by an inquiry conducted through Internet. Its user interface is a palette floating over the window managed by the browser.
 * The palette is made of a matrix of chosen action buttons, with all the functionalities needed in most situations. INPH is freely downloadable from our Website. It has been used in the field for one year, mainly in Belgium and in France.
 * A software bridge can be made to transfer system information to and from a user-specific I/O device (e.g., a Braille line and keyboard).
 * A hardware solution can be created, consisting of a second computer which taps the video output and feeds back information via the keyboard and/or mouse connection.


 * ARTICLES:**

[|Disabled vets face a new way] Thanks to incredible advances in technology, many seriously disabled veterans are being brought back into the mainstream of life where they can do just about everything they could do before losing limbs. Many are overcoming disabilities that would depress most of us were we to suffer from, yet they refuse to give up the struggle to live as near-normal lives as possible. (Extract)

[|Advocate for disabled people has a history of battling back] n recognition of his efforts, McCarville received the 2007 da Vinci Awards Founder’s Founders? Award at a ceremony Friday in Dearborn. The award is given by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and recognizes people who promote assistive technology and accessibility for disabled people. Who gives out award? 1. given by the National Multiple Schelorsis Society, Michigan Chapter. 2. with apostrophe. (Extract)