Assistive Devices and Accessibility Technologies
#accessibility
#assistive technology
#screen readers
#input devices
#voice assistants
#discovery
Summary

This discovery research explores the assistive technologies relevant to digital product accessibility. It contains overview of tools and devices that support users with various impairments. The focus narrows to technologies that impact interaction with UI - screen readers, Braille displays, voice assistants, adaptive keyboards, and alternative input methods.

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Conducted in February 2023.

Key takeaways
  • Accessibility is not only about supporting specific devices - it’s about ensuring the app supports diverse interaction modes
  • Designers and developers should prioritize:
    1. Robust support for screen readers and keyboard navigation
    2. Customizable visual UI for low-vision users
    3. Compatibility with alternative input devices
  • Research provides a general understanding of assistive technology categories but lacks contextual framing for banking use cases
Scope and goal
  • EU legislation is driving a need for accessible digital services, including banking apps
  • Discovery phase research aimed to explore the assistive technologies used by people with disabilities
  • The goal was to establish baseline awareness before translating user needs into digital design considerations
  • Scope: Broad collection of assistive devices across multiple categories (vision, hearing, mobility, speech, cognitive)
Method
  • Method: Analysis of secondary data

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Results
  • From the full list, relevant technologies for a digital banking app include:
    1. Vision: screen readers (e.g., VoiceOver), OCR, Braille displays, TTS systems, electronic magnifiers, high-contrast UI, voice assistants
    2. Hearing: captioning systems, web-based sign interpretation, visual alerts
    3. Speech: communication boards, speech-generating tools (mostly for support contexts)
    4. Cognitive: memory aids, reminders, TTS for comprehension, simplified UI patterns
    5. Mobility/Input: adaptive keyboards, switch devices, eye-tracking software, dictation, keyboard-only compatibility
  • Technologies not applicable include physical mobility aids (wheelchairs, walkers), home-based systems (amplified phones, vibrating alarm clocks), and entertainment/audio devices

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Sources

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