Advanced Auditory Interfaces for Wireless Technology

January, 2007 – December, 2010

Progress/Updates

The project team recently released a tech report summarizing the current state of auditory menus and the team's ideas for enhancements to these menus.

Yalla, P., & Walker, B. N. (2007). Advanced Auditory Menus. Georgia Institute of Technology GVU Center Technical Report # GIT-GVU-07-12. October.

Project Team

• Bruce Walker, Project Director
• Jeff Wilson
• Pavani Yalla

Problem

• Increased mobility, increased functionality, and dramatically reduced hardware sizes all contribute to making wireless technology harder to use for everyone.
• Users (or potential users) with disabilities struggle to access even basic functions of wireless devices. Many devices are completely inaccessible to people with visual impairments.
• There is a need to have effective alternative interfaces that expand access to, and usability of, wireless technology, for all users.

Approach

• Evaluation of auditory and multimodal interface methods and technologies to augment existing interfaces.
• Development of novel interaction techniques, particularly using advanced auditory interfaces, beyond simple text-to-speech.
• Implementation and evaluation of advanced accessible interfaces in a range of wireless products.
• Development of design guidelines, and influence of practice and policy with regards to accessible interfaces.