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Cognitive Disability
The Center on Human Policy at Syracuse University defines a cognitive disability as: "a disability that impacts and individual's ability to access, process, or remember information."
Database
A database is a collection of logically related data designed to meet the information needs of one or more users. The central concept of a database is that of a collection of records, or pieces of knowledge. The term originated within the computer industry, but its meaning has been broadened by popular use to a collection of records stored in a computer in a systematic way for better sorting and retrieval by people and computer programs.
EADL
Electronic Aid to Daily Living
Also known as ECU (Environmental Control Unit). These are a means to interact and manipulate one or more electronic appliance as: a television, radio, CD player, lights, and fan etc. This is accomplished using voice activation, switch access, a computer interface, and adaptations such as X-10 units.
With special modifications, a controller of a powered wheelchair can be interfaced for accessing electronic appliances. Controlling electronic devices is usually with ultrasound, infrared, AC wiring throughout the house, and radio frequency. Several devices are capable of continuous control interface which results in successively, greater or smaller degrees of control. An example of continuous control is the lowering and raising of the volume on a television, or dimming of a light.
Embedded device or system
In general, when special computer chips (AKA CPU chips) are used in a system other than a general purpose workstation, desktop or laptop computer, they are referred to as 'embedded' devices or systems. These embedded chips are used by the billions in everyday items such as appliances and toys. The sensors from CreateAbility are all embedded devices.
NexTalk
NexTalk-VMTM software for voice modems (for Windows), by NXi Communications, Inc. A personal communications software that allows you to use compatible voice modems to make and receive TTY calls on a PC running Microsoft Windows.
PDA versus Pocket PC
CreateAbility differentiates between these two devices as such:
A personal digital assistant PDA, (AKA personal organizer) is typically a lightweight consumer electronic device that looks like a hand-held computer but instead performs specific tasks, such as a diary or a personal database or a telephone or an alarm clock etc. Examples are Palm Pilot, Psion, Handspring.
A Pocket PC (PPC) is a more powerful platform that runs a version of Microsoft Windows for mobile devices that supports a wide range of multimedia features. It has many capabilities of modern desktop PCs. Examples incluse HP iPaq, Dell X-51. Microsoft has some strict requirements for what classifies a mobile device as a PPC. CreateAbility applications require the PPC.
RESNA
An acronym which stands for: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology of North America. See http://www.resna.org/index.php for more information.
RFID
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. An RFID tag is an object that can be attached to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification using radio waves. Chip-based RFID tags contain silicon chips and antennas. Passive tags require no internal power source, whereas active tags require a power source. In TalkingTags, we require passive tags due to their much lower cost and small size.
Scanning
AKA Switch Access
As opposed to flatbed scanning, scanning in this context refers to an alternative method of inputting information into a device, or telling a device what actions to perform. Scanning is typically used by people with physical disabilities, who cannot use their hands to use a traditional keyboard or mouse.
Scanning has been incorporated into a variety of devices, as well as special software that runs on PCs, handhelds or SmartPhones.
Information on the display is typically presented in boxes or groups. Each group is then highlighted one at a time in a prescribed way. The user selects the box currently highlighted via a switch device. Alternately, some users can use their voice using special speech recognition software.
There are three typical scan modes: 1) automatic scanning, 2) step scanning, and 3) inverse scanning.
In automatic scanning, the system automatically steps through the items on the screen (in a pre-defined sequence and constant, selectable rate) until the individual presses the switch. Automatic scanning requires timing coordination. In step scanning, a second switch is added to index to the next highlighted item. In inverse scanning, the scanning only steps between the displayed items while the switch is held down. This gives the user the ability to visually locate the item they wish to select before the scanning starts, and lets them control over exactly when the scanning occurs. Releasing the switch stops the scanning, and could select the item currently highlighted.
Each of these modes can sometimes be used with audio-scanning. In Audio-scanning, AKA audio-cueing, a brief audio is played to announce or describe each item as the scan is stepped from the previous item.
Other parameters are necessary to filter out unintentional responses, such as dwell time (the amount of time that the switch must be pressed before the action is taken as valid), and holdoff time (the minimum amount of time that the switch must be released before a new press is recognized).
SmartPhone
A smartphone (AKA sphone) is any electronic handheld device that integrates the functionality of a mobile phone, PDA or PPC or other information appliance. This is often achieved by adding telephone functions to an existing PDA or PPC Phone or putting "smart" functionality into a mobile phone. A key feature of a smartphone is that additional native applications can be installed on the device. The applications can be developed by the manufacturer of the handheld device, by the operator or by any other third-party software developer. SSIMPLE requires a SmartPhone running Microsoft windows. An example is the imate Jam.
Speech Recognition
AKA Voice Recognition
There are two basic uses for speech recognition systems by people with disabilities: 1) Command and control, and 2) dictation.
In command / control, the user speaks a command that simply controls the actions by the computer, such as turning something on or off, or launching an application. In dictation, the user runs special voice-to-print software, and speaks the words that are typed into an email or document processing application.
Switches
Switches (not light switches) range from simple momentary closure types and connect to a PC via a switch interface, but can also be more sophisticated and connect via USB port to a PC. Examples of switches are: Sip and Puff, Jelly Bean, Big Red Switch, and there are even an eyebrow and tongue switches. Many switches are great for people with gross motor skills, and may be enclosed in hard plastic or foam and covered with a removable, washable bag. Switches may include tactile and auditory feedback.
TDD (sometimes called TTY)
A telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) is an electronic device for text communication via a telephone line, used when one or more of the parties has hearing or speech difficulties. Other names for TDD include TTY (telephone typewriter or teletypewriter), textphone (Common in Europe), and minicom (United Kingdom). There is also TTD software for PCs, such as NexTalk.
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