2005 annual report for the RNIB's Scientific Research Unit

Annual Report 2005

1. Aims of the Unit

To influence and encourage external research and development of future benefit to blind and partially sighted persons.
To influence the design of equipment and systems for the general public such that they are accessible to blind and partially sighted persons.
To influence the development of relevant standards.

2. Staff

Current staffing of the Unit is:

John Gill - Chief Scientist

Antoinette Fennell - Human Factors Scientist

Linda Newson - Research and Information Officer

3. Smart Cards and Biometrics

This year has seen an increasing interest in smart cards and biometric systems, at the same time as an increasing awareness of the need for accessibility (partly as a result of Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act). The Unit has been working on disseminating information about accessibility issues, and revising a number of standards in this area.

EN 1332-5 Raised Tactile Symbols for Differentiation of Application on ID-1 Cards has now been formally approved. The RNIB Scientific Research Unit is acting as the secretariat for registering symbols.

4. Information and Communication Technologies

The Unit is involved in projects on the design of non-visual user interfaces and accessibility of transport systems; both projects are funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

John Gill was appointed the joint convenor for the user needs task group of the ISO Special Working Group on Accessibility.

The Unit has been actively involved in COST 219ter (Accessibility for All to Services and Terminals for Next Generation Networks). John Gill was appointed chairman of PhoneAbility which is now a registered charity.

The Unit is a partner in a large European project which is developing an extended ambient intelligence space for the integration of functions and services for elderly and disabled people across various environments (car, bus, airplane, home, work, leisure and sport).

5. Stimulation of Research

The Unit has maintained its web site including data on ongoing research and devices already developed, and has added a number of new sections on subjects like biometrics and demographics of visual impairment.

6. Publications and Reports

Gill J M Making Life Easier: How New Telecommunication Services Could Benefit People with Disabilities. COST 219ter, ISBN 1 86048 031 3, March 2005, 16 pp. Also at www.tiresias.org/cost219ter/making_life_easier

Gill J M Developments in Biometrics. New Beacon, Vol 89, No 1039, March 2005. Also at www.tiresias.org/reports/dev_biometrics.htm

Gill J M Accessibility of Biometrics: Dimensioning the Challenges and Opportunities. Proceedings of the Conference on Accessible Biometrics, May 2005. Also at www.tiresias.org/phoneability/accessible_biometrics_proceedings/gill.htm

Gill J M Inclusive Design of Public Access Terminals. Proceedings of International Workshop on The Usage of Public Interfaces by Persons with Special Needs, Lisbon, June 2005.

Gill J M Standards for Smart Housing for People with Disabilities. Proceedings of First International Conference on Domotics, Robotics and Teleassistance, Madrid, November 2005.

Shipley A D C & Gill J M Equal Measures: Closing the Accessibility Gap. COST 219ter, ISBN 1 86048 032 2, March 2005, 28 pp. Also at www.tiresias.org/cost219ter/equal_measures

7. Plans for 2006

The Unit is a partner in a number of new projects:

(a) Development of guidelines for the accessibility of biometric and smart card systems.

(b) Implementation of the extended version of EN 1332-4 particularly for local authorities.

(d) Development of systems to improve identification of medicinal products and compliance with dosage.

(e) Guidelines for accessible keypads.

(f) Organisation of a seminar on location-based services for people with disabilities.

(g) Organisation of a conference on accessibility of next generation networks.