I-Corps: TabAccess: A Wireless Controller for Tablet Accessibility

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

Accessibility focuses on the degree to which people with disabilities can interact with the world around them. Unfortunately, most embedded applications for smartphones and tablets are not designed with accessibility in mind, especially for those with limited fine motor control. Such individuals have difficulty in providing the common pinch and swipe gestures required for tablet control. As a solution to this issue, the team proposes a unique interface device that provides wireless access to tablet devices. The Wireless Controller for Tablet Accessibility coupled with a supporting tablet app software library, enables the delivery of effective education and entertainment opportunities for individuals lacking fine motor skills. Although the current assistive technology market has provided speech, hearing, and visual aids using tablet devices, the market has overlooked the large populace that has difficulty using the touchscreen interface, such as persons recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injuries, or living with cerebral palsy. The team's alternative interface can provide unlimited potential for the development of tablet-based Apps that could assist such individuals in their daily lives. In addition, by open-sourcing the software development kit, the team encourages the open-source community to contribute new applications using the platform to increase user access.