News

Master of Science in Human-Computer Interaction (HCIM) students from the University of Maryland College of Information Studies (UMD iSchool) had the unique opportunity to mentor iSchool undergraduates as part of a new initiative established by iSchool assistant professors Hernisa Kacorri and David Weintrop. The HCIM graduate students in Kacorri’s Inclusive Design course served as inclusive design […]

In the U.S., the right to make decisions for ourselves is something that most people aren’t easily prepared to give up. However, when people lose physical or mental functions due to age or circumstance, they can be forced to give up autonomy if they are seen as no longer able to make their own decisions […]

Dr. Jonathan Lazar, professor in the College of Information Studies (UMD iSchool) at the University of Maryland, is the recipient of the inaugural Rachel Olivero Accessibility Innovation Award, presented by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) of Maryland during its annual state convention on November 9th. Lazar was honored with this award for his […]

Hopes, concerns emerge on healthcare AI for the elderly and people with disabilities Original Story by Dave Pearson, May 22, 2019 AI in Healthcare Physicians considering new technology for their practices tend to ask one or more of four questions before moving ahead: Does it actually work? Will I get paid for it? What are the […]

Enabling the visually impaired to access charts on the web using deep learning Original Story by Niklas Elmqvist Sparks of Innovation: Stories from the HCIL The fact that visualization leverages the human visual system to convey data is not only inherent in the name “visualization” itself, it is also endemic to the discipline. A huge part […]

Dr. Jonathan Lazar, UMD iSchool Professor, received a Google Faculty Research Award for the next academic year. Dr. Lazar’s Google faculty research award focuses on the development of new metrics for use in automated accessibility testing tools, for more accurately measuring web accessibility in large organizations. Dr. Lazar is involved in research and teaching in human-computer […]

The new version of the United States Postal Service’s popular Automated Postal Center includes the updated EZ Access keypad developed by the Trace Center at the University of Maryland College of Information Studies (iSchool). The keypad, along with software techniques developed by Trace, makes it possible for people with low vision, blindness, physical and cognitive disabilities to use touchscreen-based […]

The new version of the United States Postal Service’s popular Automated Postal Center includes the updated EZ Access keypad developed by the Trace Center. The keypad, along with software techniques developed by Trace, makes it possible for people with low vision, blindness, physical and cognitive disabilities to use touchscreen-based public systems. The original APC, which […]

The Trace Research & Development Center is the recipient of a $4.625 million, five-year Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (link is external) (NIDILRR), part of the Administration for Community Living (link is external), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (link is external). […]

Two key components of the Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure (GPII), DeveloperSpace and Unified Listing, are now available online. Both were developed as part of the Prosperity4all project and launched at the 2017 AAATE Congress in Sheffield, UK. The Trace Center collaborated in this effort and is now leading the development and pilot testing of the […]

On December 15, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) amended its rules to allow phone companies to replace support for TTY with support for real-time text (RTT). This caps a 15 year effort led by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Telecommunications Access at the Trace Center and Gallaudet University. Adoption of RTT will make communication […]

Current and former students, staff, clients, colleagues, and friends gathered on July 8, 2016 at the UW Discovery Building and via teleconference to celebrate 45 years of work focused on technology and disability. David Kelso was recognized for his 43 years as the Trace Center’s technical director. Center Director Gregg Vanderheiden reviewed many of the […]

As of August 2016, the Trace Center is now a part of the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland in College Park. Trace Center Director Gregg Vanderheiden explained: “The Trace Center and the iSchool are a natural fit, with both deeply interested in human-computer interface, with interaction, including a special interest in […]

The Automated Personalization Computing Project (APCP), funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration of the U.S. Dept. of Education, will be the first large-scale deployment of the Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure (GPII). The GPII combines cloud computing, web, and platform services to make computers and online information and services available for people facing barriers to accessibility. […]

The European Commission awarded 7 million euros to a consortium of 25 members and collaborators in Europe, Canada, and the US to begin building and testing tools to facilitate creation and marketing of new access solutions in the Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure (GPII). The Prosperity4all project complements the Trace Center’s current research and development projects. […]