Our goal in accessibility research at Watson is to provide innovative technological advances that will help eliminate barriers encountered by persons having limited sensory, physical, or cognitive abilities. We address these issues in terms of access to technology and in terms of technological solutions to education and other life activities.
Current projects include:
accessibilityWorks
The accessibilityWorks project is an open computing effort using Firefox. With the accessibilityWorks browser extension, users can transform web page content for easier web access. This software has been used with older adults and with people with a variety of disabilities. For more details see the accessibilityWorks project website.
Accessible Virtual Worlds
3D virtual worlds present a number of challenges to users with disabilities. To demonstrate ways of addressing these accessibility challenges, we have created an accessible virtual worlds game. Innovative features for this game provide access for users who are blind, partially sighted, or have motor or cognitive limitations that impact ability to navigate virtual worlds. For more information, see the Accessibilty of Virtual Worlds project website.
Technologies for a Maturing Workforce
Through the Open Collaboration Research (OCR) initiative at Watson we are working with the University of Dundee School of Computing and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine to create new human centric tools that will enable older workers to be maximally productive in the emerging multigenerational workforce. For more information, see the Open Collaboration Research - Maturing Workforce project website.
Last updated 23 May 2008