What Does Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion Mean to IBM?
by Dr. Ruoyi Zhou, Director, IBM Accessibility Research, and Lindsay-Rae McIntyre, IBM Chief Diversity Officer Celebrating and reflecting on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we call upon everyone to build awareness and create real change for people with disabilities. Through workforce policies and new technology innovations, we must ensure that people of all abilities […]
Looking to the Future in Celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities
When I began working in the accessibility field, I relied on interaction, empathy and observation to help identify the challenges of users with disabilities. There were two things that really made the job fascinating: the constant opportunity for technical innovation, and the ongoing, invigorating phenomenon of witnessing users benefit directly from my interventions. Now, 18 […]
Effects of AI on Aging and Ability
I recently attended the Boston Accessibility and Grace Hopper conferences, and from Orlando to Cambridge, artificial intelligence (AI) was at the center of discussions. The next generation of accessibility technology will be driven by AI and have a profound effect on improving the lives of people with disabilities and our growing aging population. It is poised to augment our […]
The Impact of AI on Accessibility
At the recent Boston Accessibility Conference, Dr. Ruoyi Zhou, Director of IBM Accessibility Research, hosted an exciting session on the possibilities of AI, machine learning and virtual reality to benefit people with disabilities. The panelists, who included leaders and innovators from MIT, Open Access Technologies, Rendever, Aira and the Massachusetts Association of the Blind, all […]
Tell Me Something I Didn’t Already Know About Aging
I attended the recent NIC Fall Conference in Chicago that was focused on aging, eldercare, and senior housing and care properties. The conference wrapped up with four interesting TED-like “NIC Talks” that delved into the theme, “Tell Us Something We Don’t Already Know About Aging.” Each presenter gave their perspectives on innovative approaches to technology, and how […]
Capturing the Heartbeats of Daily Living to Improve Eldercare
Every room in your home reveals unique insights about your daily activities. By leveraging a network of connected devices, sensors and AI-based systems, we have solved the old adage, “If those walls could talk.” Now, they now can’t stop talking. We can learn about individual patterns for sleeping, eating, exercising, cooking, bathing, and how often you […]
Combating Loneliness is Everyone’s Business
Loneliness, by its very definition is an individual experience. It’s also having a significant impact on society, and a challenge that will take an entire “new village” to solve. According to research from Campaign to End Loneliness, 9 in 10 people believe loneliness in older age is more likely now than ever. However, 67 percent of […]
Impact of New Accessibility Standards on Authoring Tools
There are new provisions in the 2017 revised U.S. Section 508 standards, as well as European requirements, that are creating additional focus on the accessibility of authoring tools. We wanted to provide guidance for anyone seeking to understand how the new standards define authoring tools, and requirements for helping ensure accessibility. What is an Authoring Tool? […]
Maximizing Impact with Personalized Accessibility Training
There are many outstanding accessibility tutorials online. Yet, I’m finding that designers and developers are reluctant to go through them. I always wondered why? As I travel to many different IBM offices around the world training product design and development teams and understanding their needs, I believe I have found what makes them more interested […]