What can be improved when a disability people wearing prosthetics?4 answersIndividuals with disabilities wearing prosthetics can benefit from improvements in sensory feedback and motor control. Research has shown that sensory substitution systems, such as vibrotactile feedback based on foot pressure, can enhance postural stability for lower-limb amputees. Additionally, neuroprostheses providing sensory feedback through nerve stimulation have shown promising results in improving mobility, balance, and precision for amputees. Furthermore, advancements in prosthetic hand technology, incorporating sensorimotor-inspired grasping strategies based on tactile sensory feedback, can enhance grasping performance and prevent object slippage. Moreover, closed-loop neural prosthetic systems, allowing users to engage in feedback control, have the potential to optimize decoding algorithms and improve overall performance for individuals with disabilities. These innovations collectively aim to enhance the functionality and quality of life for individuals with disabilities using prosthetics.
What are the potential barriers to accessibility for blind individuals in various industries, such as transportation, education, and employment?4 answersBlind individuals face potential barriers to accessibility in various industries. In transportation, challenges include timing/scheduling, uneven surfaces, weather, and steep inclines at pick up/drop off zones. In education, blind students encounter difficulties with teaching materials, class adaptation, library resources, website access, urban planning conditions, and attitudes of research workers and non-disabled students. In employment, barriers include employer discrimination, lack of transportation, lack of education/training, negative attitudes, and lack of access to print. These barriers hinder blind individuals' ability to carry out everyday tasks, access higher education, and find meaningful employment. To address these challenges, solutions such as on-site ride hailing mechanisms, enclosed/covered platforms, inclusive disclosure processes, and education on disabilities for staff are recommended. Collaboration between higher education institutions, employment sectors, and blind individuals is also crucial for creating inclusive environments.
What are the challenges and opportunities for accessibility in virtual reality?4 answersThe challenges and opportunities for accessibility in virtual reality (VR) are being addressed by researchers and the Human-Computer Interaction community. There is a need to ensure that people with disabilities have access to immersive VR platforms and applications. Currently, there is a lack of work investigating accessibility barriers in relation to immersive technologies for people with disabilities. VR games, in particular, pose accessibility issues due to their heavy reliance on body motion as the main means of input. By designing context-aware multi-modal interfaces that adapt to the user's input devices and surrounding usage context, the overall accessibility of spatial computing can be improved. In the context of STEM education, accessibility considerations are important for designing immersive VR learning spaces for wheelchair users, and software accessibility features have shown promise in enabling wheelchair users to interact with VR environments.
What are the challenges related to transport mobility and accessibility in Lome, Togo?3 answersTransport mobility and accessibility in Lome, Togo face several challenges. The spread of the Internet and the use of smartphones have introduced new habits of consumption, training, sales, and mobility, but the slow internet connection and its interruption hinder easy access to digital platforms like Gozem. Additionally, the geographical accessibility of emergency obstetrical and neonatal care (EmONC) facilities is a concern, as the physical access to these services remains inequitable, especially for women who cannot afford motorized transport. In terms of disability and geography, the spatial needs of the mobility impaired in Lome have not been met, with obstacles such as intense traffic, absence of ramps, and safety measures impeding their movements and access to public facilities. Furthermore, experiences related to daily mobility negatively impact women's engagement with and perception of the city, limiting their opportunities. Finally, in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, the challenges faced by companies in the transport sector include a lack of transport management experts, high cost of transport operations, poor vehicle maintenance, ineffective transport policies, and weak transport infrastructure.
How can the accessibility of universities be improved?3 answersThe accessibility of universities can be improved by incorporating cultural influences into accessibility teaching in technical courses. Additionally, the use of smartphone apps with vocal aids can help individuals with blindness or low vision navigate university buildings more easily. Evaluating and improving the web accessibility of university websites is also crucial, including the adoption of web content accessibility guidelines and the elimination of recurrent errors. Furthermore, there is a need to improve the accessibility of computer laboratories and libraries in universities, addressing environmental and technological barriers. Developing and implementing comprehensive accessibility policies for university websites is another important step in improving accessibility.
What are the challenges to providing accessible e-government services?5 answersThe challenges to providing accessible e-government services include obstacles such as geographical distance, inappropriate conditions for users, lack of awareness or use of overly complex wording, inconvenient working hours, and organizational difficulties in serving the population. Additionally, lack of technology, budget restrictions, and limited human resources hinder the effective implementation of sustainable and secured e-government services. In rural areas of developing countries, challenges include longer travel time and transaction cost, low digital literacy, and low awareness of e-government services. Another challenge is the violation of citizens' rights in cyberspace, particularly the right to information privacy. Lack of ICT infrastructure, security and privacy concerns, lack of proper planning, public awareness, cultural resistance, institutional and political factors, and budget constraints are also challenges faced in implementing e-government in developing countries.