IntuiLab Brings “Design for Accessibility” to Interactive Digital Signage

IntuiLab, provider of IntuiFace, the world’s premier no-coding interactive experience creation platform, is excited to announce the introduction of a series of features aimed at creating accessible interactive experiences without writing code. IntuiFace is the first signage creation platform to incorporate capabilities oriented around accessibility, ensuring those found anywhere along the spectrum of visual, hearing or physical impairment can access, understand and engage with screen-based content.

Over one billion people are estimated to live with some form of disability. This corresponds to about 15% of the world's population, or 1 in 7 people. [source Nearly half (48%) of all people with disabilities in the US are the principal shoppers in their household. [source The notion of disability itself is vast, including everything from congenital conditions to injury to the loss of capability with increased age. Information accessed via touch-first, place-based displays can present a host of challenges from excessive mounting height, to challenging font size and color choices, to fine motor control requirements.

In collaboration with Microsoft Production Studios and Tosolini Productions, IntuiLab has introduced a set of features enabling IntuiFace users to Design for Accessibility. These features permit content creators to apply cutting edge technology to the delivery of interactive content for all people, regardless of ability.

Text-to-Speech:
On-the-fly conversion of both static and dynamic text into speech for the visually impaired. Designers can configure both the voice and the speed, using any language available on the target device, ensuring proper clarity and intonation.

Keyboard Events:
Use a keyboard to replicate touch events such as navigation and item selection. Configure any action – turn page, play video, maximize image, etc. - to be triggered when a predefined key or key combination is detected. Combined with text-to-speech and a Braille keyboard, touch experiences become accessible for the physically and visually impaired.

Gestures on Assets:    
Capture large, gross motor gestures for every individual item in a running experience. For example, create an on-screen trackpad for navigation. Or trigger text-to-speech without requiring perfect touch precision.

These new features complement an array of preexisting customization options already enabling design for accessibility. Such features include:

• Complete control over information layout
• Font size and color configuration
• Ability to incorporate text as a complement to audio and video
• Visual cues to indicate navigation options

“The digital world belongs to everybody and it’s up to all of us to make that happen,” said Vincent Encontre, IntuiLab’s CEO. “We wanted to play our part and this is why we worked on accessibility enablement with our friends at Microsoft Production Studios and Tosolini Productions. Technology should be an enabler, not a roadblock, and I hope our small contribution will help increase information access for all.”

All of these new accessibility features were introduced in IntuiFace Version 5.4, shipping today. All users, even those working with IntuiFace’s time-unlimited Free Edition, can incorporate accessibility in their designs. Additional details about IntuiFace accessibility features can be found here. To get a free copy of IntuiFace, register here.