>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] 


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