Summary
The metaverse, virtual reality, Web 3.0, distributed infrastructure, the Internet of Things, wearable computing, and AI: all these things are going to change the face of accessibility over the next 10 years. In this talk, Samuel Proulx, Fable’s Accessibility Evangelist, will give you an overview of what the current landscape looks like at the frontier of accessibility and assistive technology. Where’s the research taking us? What might be coming down the pipe?
Key Insights
-
•
Early assistive technology, like Braille terminals on IBM mainframes, was expensive and rare, making accessibility a niche 'hack' rather than built-in feature.
-
•
The transition from command line to graphical user interfaces around Windows 95 caused a massive increase in assistive technology complexity.
-
•
Apple's integration of VoiceOver in the iPhone 3GS was a major accessibility paradigm shift, making it built-in and mainstream for the first time on mobile devices.
-
•
Assistive technology industry consolidation occurred due to increased software complexity after the GUI shift.
-
•
Accessibility features initially designed for disabilities often benefit the broad population, such as captions, dark mode, and voice dictation.
-
•
Gaming and emerging technologies like VR, AR, and XR currently lack first-party accessibility APIs and rely on third-party reverse engineering and mods.
-
•
Artificial intelligence introduces new accessibility challenges, including how to convey AI confidence and maintain privacy while ensuring inclusion.
-
•
Accessibility should be seen as a spectrum rather than a binary, recognizing a wide range of visual and hearing abilities.
-
•
Future accessibility innovations include self-driving cars, neural input devices, and smart home technologies that provide greater independence.
-
•
The 'nothing about us without us' principle is critical: involving people with disabilities in design and testing is essential for sustainable accessibility.
Notable Quotes
"Nothing about us without us."
"Accessibility was considered an inspiring hack, something very unique and rare."
"The GUI transition made assistive technology products a lot more complicated because you now had to track focus, cursor, and graphical objects."
"Apple unlocked so much innovation through including accessibility in the phone."
"Accessibility benefits all of us, not just people with disabilities."
"Accessibility needs are a continuum or a spectrum, not a binary."
"The first to solve accessibility for new modalities like XR or AI will have a market-leading advantage for years to come."
"We need to rethink how accessibility technology works in AR and VR since there is no traditional screen."
"AI must communicate its confidence levels so users can trust what it tells them, especially when they cannot double-check visually."
"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Share everything, own nothing but credit everyone."
Zariah CameronReDesigning Wellbeing for Equitable Care in the Workplace
September 23, 2024
"Ownership means belonging to the person who anticipates, observes, or monitors the prioritization process—not distributed ownership."
John Cutler Harry MaxPrioritization for designers and product managers (1st of 3 seminars) (Videoconference)
June 13, 2024
"Sense-making is a motivated, continuous effort to understand connections and act effectively."
Nick CochranGrowing in Enterprise Design through Making Connections
June 3, 2019
"You should assess feedback before making decisions; implementing feedback right away can cause the wrong solution or disruptions."
Deanna SmithLeading Change with Confidence: Strategies for Optimizing Your Process
September 23, 2024
"We’re now looking to help legislators think about digital outcomes as they draft new laws and regulations."
Magdalena ZadaraZero Hour: How to Get Far Quickly When Starting Your Digital Service Unit Late
November 16, 2022
"I’ve never done this before. I’m going to be learning as I go and I’m going to share everything I learn with you."
Nova Wehman-BrownWe've Never Done This Before
June 4, 2019
"Machines may identify that higher ice cream sales is associated with higher band ice, but the former is not causing the latter."
Liwei DaiThe Heart and Brain of the AI Research
March 31, 2020
"There were quick and dirty solutions whose legacy remains a risk for ongoing COVID work, not all a good news story as we pivot out of COVID."
Gordon Ross12 Months of COVID-19 Design and Digital Response with the British Columbia Government
December 8, 2021
"Sharing my story with the engineering director opened something; vulnerability builds trust."
Tutti TaygerlyMake Space to Lead
June 12, 2021