User:Salvadoreanprd

Universal Design: The impact of computer technology on today’s society is mind blowing. Computer functions are as basic as doing a simple math calculation to a more complex function such as managing and running an entire city’s traffic light pattern by flipping traffic lights back and forth in an orderly and precise manner. Most of today’s American homes have access to a computer because our society has made computer technology a part of its daily life. Computer access gives a lot of advantages to its users, from checking their personal e-mail accounts to checking their secure bank accounts. Computer technology has revolutionized our society in many ways, but there is still a need to create a computer that is a “universal design,” also known as “design for all,” which would primarily aid the elderly population and disabled. The universal computer design hopes to create a computer easily accessible for the elderly as well as for the disabled. For example, this technology hopes to include software that would enable either a blind person or an elderly facing a decline in vision to use a “screen reader program with a speech synthesizer to access the content and functionality of a program, plus it would convert computer-based text to spoken words.” In addition, the universal computer design hopes to incorporate “speech recognition software” that would allow an elderly person to “operate a computer by speaking to it” and “dictate text commands” (Burgstahler, 2008). This means that people who have developed chronic arthritis in their upper extremities would not have to use their hands to type a document in the computer. Providing access to computing for those with disabilities and the elderly population would have a great impact on our society. For one, it would open new markets and therefore bring new buyers which would be the elderly and disabled. Many IT companies would see an increase in their profitability due to a universal design would appeal more to the “growing number of elderly people” and the increase number of people with certain types of disabilities. Lastly, this new technology would also be beneficial to other “market-segments” as well. For example, “speech recognition” would be used to aid the “elderly people with movement disabilities”, but it would also be used by those who have to “take notes and work with their hands simultaneously, such as surgeons” (Watering, 2008).

Burgstahler, Sheryl. (2008). Designing Software that is Accessible to Individuals with Disabilities. Retrieved Feb. 16, 2008, from University of Washington Web site: http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/design_software.html

Watering, Marek van de. (2008). The Impact of Computer Technology on the Elderly. Retrieved Feb. 16, 2008, from web site: http://collab.ist.psu.edu/future-fall2008/team-space/life-long-engagement/life-long-engagment-files/HCI_Essay_Marek_van_de_Watering.pdf