TELSCAN project: supporting transport telematics projects

TELSCAN project: supporting transport telematics project

Designing inclusive products for everyday environments: the effects of everyday cold temperatures on older adults' dexterity

This paper focuses on the effect an everyday cold temperature (5°C) can have on older adults (+65 years) dexterous capabilities and the implications for design. Fine finger capability, power and pinch grip were measured using objective performance measures. Ability to perform tasks using a mobile phone, stylus, touch screen and garden secateurs were also measured. All measures were performed in a climatic cold chamber regulated at 5°C and in a thermo-neutral environment regulated between 19°C-24°C. Participants were exposed to the cold for a maximum of 40 minutes. Results from the study showed that older adult’s fine finger dexterity, ability to pick-up and place objects and ability to use a mobile phone was significantly (p<0.05) affected by an everyday cold temperature of 5°C when compared to performance in the thermo-neutral environment. However, power and pinch grip strength and ability to use the gardening secateurs was not significantly affected by the cold. Based these findings, the following guidance is offered to designers developing products that are likely to be used outside in an everyday cold environment: 1) Minimise the number of product interactions that require precise fine finger movements; 2) Try to avoid small controls that have to be pressed in a sequence; 3) Maximise the number of product interactions that can be operated through either exerting a gripping action (power or pinch grip) or by gross hand and arm movements

Tactile communication in the home environment

Communication is a crucial part of home-life. It includes interactions, both face-to-face and remotely, with others living in the household, friends/relatives and service providers. Effective communication in these, and other situations, is important to quality of life. Deafblindness has a profound impact on communication. This paper considers some of the issues that arise when using English-based tactile communication and the implications for the home environment

The importance of context in inclusive design

Capability data used in current inclusive design tools fail to take into account context of use. Two experiments were conducted with older users to determine what effect the physical environment has on two essential product interaction capabilities (vision and dexterity). For vision (n1 = 38) everyday lighting levels were investigated, and for dexterity (n2 = 14) warm (19°C-24°C) and cold temperatures (5°C) were investigated. Results from the vision study showed that when the lighting level decreased from daylight to street lighting, there was a decrease of up to 44% in the number of participants able to correctly read particular rows of letters. Findings from the dexterity study indicated that fine finger dexterity is significantly reduced (p<0.05) when exposed to average winter temperatures (5°C). Failure to consider the capabilities of users in these everyday contexts of use could result in products excluding or causing difficulties to those intended to be included

The IDCnet approach: educating students and professionals in 'design for all'

will enable people with impairments to move through life with appropriate Assistive Technology to meet their changing needs. A key requirement within such an infrastructure is education. The Inclusive Design Curriculum Network (IDCnet) is a Thematic Network financed by the Information Society Technologies (IST) Programme of the European Commission (http://www.idcnet.info/). The aim of the project is to integrate information and identify core knowledge sets and skills for model curricula in Design for All (DfA) specifically for information and communication products, systems and services. This presentation will present some ideas which are still under discussion and will invite further contributions, both now and as the project progresses

A source book for accessibility guidelines

A source book for accessibility guideline