What’s going on with IXD@Pratt? Posts in this category cover news, announcements, and other important information about the IXD program at Pratt.
In Fall of 2024, Apple released its first built-in eye tracking feature as part of it’s suite of accessibility tools. This allows iPhone and iPad users with physical or motor disabilities to navigate their devices using only eye movement, without the need for external sensors or accessories. iOS devices are not known for being affordable, […]
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Introduction Assistive technologies have revolutionized the way individuals with disabilities navigate the world, granting greater independence and usability for everyday activities. As one of the most widely used navigation tools, Google Maps has taken meaningful steps to improve accessibility through features like wheelchair-accessible routes and voice-guided navigation for blind or visually impaired individuals. To understand the effectiveness of these features, I
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During the summer of 2017 my best friend had to get surgery on her thumb, temporarily disabling her. At the time we loved playing Blizzard’s Overwatch on the Playstation. She wanted to be able to keep playing with me and our online friends, but her casted thumb was making the standard controller almost impossible to
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Partiful is a mobile app designed for creating and sharing party invitations with friends. Hosts are able to plan an event quickly with a fun page crafted for their event. Guests are able to be invited on a number of platforms, and coordination happens conveniently through text blasts. This brief critique uses Norman’s Design Principles
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Ava is an iOS app that provides real-time transcription of spoken conversation, making verbal communication more accessible for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Thus, Ava allows verbal interaction to be more accessible. Designed to be easy to use, Ava has a simple and minimal interface that allows users to start captioning quickly. In
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Designed for people with hand tremors, the Liftware Steady has a stabilization technology that keeps the utensil balanced when eating so that the contents of the utensils are held still despite shaking. This assistive device with interchangeable utensil attachments proves to be accessible in accordance with the medical, social, and functional models of disability. Key
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The Apple Watch is an innovative assistive technology that offers fall detection, emergency SOS, and heart rate monitoring. These features provide safety, health monitoring, and peace of mind for individuals with disabilities or health conditions. It enhances independence and supports users in managing health emergencies, making it an essential tool for safety and well-being. My
The GlassOuse Hands-Free Mouse is an assistive device designed for individuals with limited mobility, allowing cursor control through their head movements and selections via a bite switch. This innovative assistive technology aligns with medical, social, and functional models of disability, addressing functional impairments while reducing environmental barriers.
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We are all familiar with the Canvas by Instructure interface – for better or for worse. As students, we use it every day to check assignments, communicate with professors, and to submit assignments. What’s the deal? Canvas, as ubiquitous as it is, has inconsistent design choices, unclear text hierarchies, and ambiguous calls to action. Overall,
Creating a Palette for Canvas Read More »