>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >From: Cliff Falconer [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Saw this today on one of my email feeds - thought it might be of interest. > >Regards, > >Cliff Falconer > >IBM tool 'reads' Web video for blind >Candace Lombardi, CNET News.com > >IBM has made a tool for Web browsers that will help the blind and visually >impaired access streaming multimedia on the Web. > >The tool, which works with Microsoft's Internet Explorer or Mozilla's >Firefox Web browser, is designed to handle any file that is embedded in a >Web site, including Adobe Flash or Windows Media files. > >"Just because someone is blind, it doesn't mean they shouldn't be enjoying >YouTube or MySpace or anything else like that," said Frances West, director >of the Worldwide Accessibility Center for IBM. > >The prevalence of audio on the Web seems like it would be an ideal addition >for those with visual impairments, but it's not. Screen readers and talking >Web browsers were designed mainly for translating text to voice and have yet >to adjust functions to fully support multimedia, according to West. > >When streaming audio or video requires users to click a Play button using >their mouse, there is usually no keystroke alternative, and the controls are >randomly placed on the screen, West said. If they can't press Play, they >can't experience the multimedia. > >In cases where the audio or video streams automatically once a page loads, >the Web page's audio often interferes with a user's audio aids. > >The multimedia browsing accessibility tool from IBM's Tokyo Research >Laboratory will provide predefined shortcut keys to control multimedia on >any given Web site. In addition to functions like Play and Rewind, users can >control the volume and replay speed. > >The tool will also read metadata, if the video creator includes it, that >plays a screen narrative to describe what's going on in a given video. The >function offers the same control as movies for the visually impaired. A >person can select to listen to the original audio only or turn on the screen >narration, according to West. > >The tool, which IBM plans to make open source, will be showcased at next >week's 2007 Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference. > >The company's strategy is that software for the visually or hearing impaired >-- populations who have historically been neglected in terms of tech >products -- should be developed as a societal effort, according to West. > >"I think that this is just one of many research innovations that you are >going to see in this space...and not just for people with disabilities. With >aging baby boomers in the U.S. at about 76 million, who will have vision or >hearing deterioration, we think applications of the future need to take >these users into consideration," West said. >
Regards Steve Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Skype: steve1963 MSN Messenger: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
