Working Together, Microsoft and AT Vendors Create Innovative Technology Solutions for Everyone

REDMOND, Wash. — June 7, 2007 — At Microsoft, accessibility is about making computers so adaptable that anyone can use them. We focus our accessibility work on improving computing for people with disabilities because, by surmounting those accessibility hurdles, the result is technology that works better for everyone. If we make computing more accessible for individuals who do not have use of their hands and who access the computer through speech recognition, for example; then we also create a better computing experience for individuals with limited use of their arms, and others who may just want to control their computers by voice.

People experience many different types of disabilities and impairments, and hundreds of technology solutions are needed to assist them. Our goal is to build products that can be adapted and useable by anyone. A critical way for us to meet our goal of universal accessibility is by having strong partnerships with a network of assistive technology (AT) manufacturers—companies that specialize in creating products to assist people with specific disabilities.

Partnerships with AT Companies are Key to Accessibility

By working closely with a variety of AT companies, we are able to provide the resources they need to build successful products that run on the Windows platform and other Microsoft products and technologies. The result is a myriad of technology solutions for people who experience a wide range of disabilities and impairments.

Microsoft also helps AT companies by giving broad exposure to the industry. For example, Microsoft regularly hosts Accessibility Roundtable discussions in Washington, DC. These meetings bring together accessibility policymakers, agency officials, and advocacy groups. In a recent Roundtable discussion, we brought in four AT companies—Serotek, One Write, Dolphin, and Brain Actuated Technologies—to demonstrate their products as compelling examples of the innovative work being done by AT companies on behalf of people with disabilities.

Serotek's System Access—A Screen Reader in Your Pocket

Serotek, founded by Mike Calvo, puts a screen reader in your pocket. Calvo was born blind and has owned several businesses. He felt the screen readers on the market weren't meeting his needs—he wanted more portability than they could offer—so he started a business to create his own screen reader that runs from a USB stick and can be used anywhere. Users can plug the USB stick into any computer with a USB drive and launch the screen reader, but no application is installed on the hard drive of the computer. System Access is a great device for people with vision impairments who need to use public computers, such as those in libraries, Internet cafes or public kiosks.

Cyrano Communicator by One Write—Hand-held AAC

Cyrano Communicator by One Write is an alternative augmentative communication (AAC) device that uses Windows Mobile and the iPAQ Mobile Media Companion from HP to help people who are autistic or have other serious communication disabilities simulate speech and communicate more easily through the use of images, text, and sounds. We're seeing more and more AT companies doing innovative work in mobility. Mobile devices are becoming less expensive while providing enough power to run sophisticated software—and they are smaller than ever.

SmartHal by Dolpin—Screen Reader for Smart Phones

SmartHal by Dolphin is one of the coolest products I've seen lately. It's essentially a screen reading device for smart phones, and I actually have it running on my cell phone. Until now, smart phones haven't been very useful for people who are blind or experience other vision impairments, because they can't see the e-mail, contacts, calendar, text messages and other features the phones provide. SmartHal is a screen reader that gives users full voice access to all of the features on their smart phones without having to see them.

This is a perfect example of a product that has the potential for a tremendous amount of mainstream appeal, because there are a lot of environmental situations we all encounter that essentially simulate being blind. Even as a sighted user, sometimes when you're outdoors there is so much glare that you can't read the screen on your phone. What are your options and alternatives in that situation? If you have SmartHal on your phone, you just switch over to voice and keep going. We have reached a point where there is enough storage on these phones, and enough power to synthesize voices, that products like SmartHal are a viable option for mainstream use.

Brainfingers—Control Your Computer with Your Brain

Another interesting product is Brainfingers, by Brain Actuated Technologies, a hands-free device that reads the electrical impulses created by muscle and eye movement and brainwave activity, and transforms those impulses into "fingers" that enable users wearing a special headband to execute mouse and keyboard commands.

The company is already exploring other applications for the technology, too. For example, playing music is something that is difficult or impossible for most people with severe mobility and dexterity impairments. At CSUN this year, I got the chance to try out a Brainfingers application for the piano. By just focusing and moving my eyebrows, I was able to play "The Entertainer," by Scott Joplin. It was very cool.

Those are just four innovative accessibility products of the hundreds that are developed by the AT partners. As a technology evangelist, my role is to evangelize Microsoft technologies and also to show people what's possible through accessibility innovation. What I really enjoy is building relationships with AT partners and interacting with people who use their products.