Accessibility
Search documents
What’s New in Google Accessibility | Episode 9
Google· 2025-07-16 14:02
Accessibility Innovations - Google is releasing SignGemma, an open model for sign language understanding, initially focusing on American Sign Language (ASL) and English, with the potential for community-driven adaptation to other sign languages [1][2] - Android's TalkBack screen reader now integrates Gemini to provide AI-generated descriptions of the entire screen, enabling conversational follow-up questions [4] - Expressive Captions on Android now capture the intensity and nuance of speech, including drawn-out sounds and subtle vocalizations like whispering and yawning [5][6] - The Pixel's Magnifier app introduces live search, allowing blind and low-vision users to type what they're looking for and receive real-time highlights and vibrations when matches are found [6][7] - Project Astra Visual Interpreter, in collaboration with Aira, is being tested to provide real-time descriptions of surroundings for blind and low-vision users, supervised by live Aira agents [8][9][10] Chrome and Chromebook Updates - Chrome now supports Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for scanned PDFs, enabling screen readers to interact with the text [11][12] - Chromebooks now offer the ability to turn off the touchpad, flash notifications for new alerts, and features like Bounce Keys, Slow Keys, and Mouse Keys to assist users with limited dexterity and/or tremors [12][13] Workspace Enhancements - Google Workspace allows users to embed interactive, screen-reader compatible Google Calendars into websites, featuring improved spacing, responsive layouts, and keyboard shortcut navigation [14]
Designing beyond sight | Nilou Vakil | TEDxKU
TEDx Talks· 2025-07-08 16:38
Core Argument - The design industry predominantly focuses on visual aspects, neglecting other senses, leading to an impoverished environment [5][6][7] - The industry should shift from sight-centered design to sense-centered design, incorporating touch, hearing, scent, and memory to create richer, more responsive, and human-centered spaces [23][24] - The industry needs to involve all users in the design process, not just experts, to create spaces that belong to everyone [21][22][23] Sensory Design & Empathy - The industry can learn from visually impaired individuals to understand how to navigate spaces through all senses [3][4][5] - Experiential exercises, such as using low vision simulators and blindfolds, can foster empathy and inform design thinking [10][11] - Integrating sensory experiences and empathy into the design process can lead to more inclusive and user-friendly spaces [13][24] Design Tools & Communication - The industry can utilize tools like sensory design cards to facilitate communication between educators, students, stakeholders, and architects [14][15][20] - These cards can bridge the gap between technical expertise and user experience, enabling mutual understanding and collaborative decision-making [15][16][20] - The design cards categorize sensory considerations like clarity, acoustics, environmental sensory, pathfinding, materials, textures, and lighting [18]
The Accessibility Conversation You’re Not Having (But Should Be) | L. Denise Wells | TEDxAtlanta
TEDx Talks· 2025-06-17 16:43
[Music] I want to have an inconvenient conversation. And let's face it, no one likes an inconvenient conversation. It's awkward, uncomfortable, maybe even makes us squirm in our seats.But here's what I know for sure. The conversations we avoid are the ones that often we most need to have. And so today, I want to talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion, but not in the way you're used to hearing it.I don't want to talk about race or gender or even who we love. Instead, I want to talk about a piece of the ...
