MUSE WebPads: Providing Museum Visitors Universal Access

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DESCRIPTION(provided by applicant): The MUSE System delivers personalized experiences to museum visitors on a handheld tablet computer based on their preferences, special needs, and other contextual information. The system will be built on Universal Design standards and developed with user participatory design methods to help ensure the product will serve the broadest audience possible. The primary focus is on progressing efforts to increase intellectual accessibility for individuals with low vision, low hearing and mobility impairments in museums. Our innovative approach will impact the over 1 billion people in the US that visit museums and the entire museum experience by deploying the latest mobile computing technology to provide experiences that are accessible, informative, entertaining, and social. The MUSE system is composed of four components. The Museum Visitor information System (MVIS) server stores the content, personal profiles, and intelligent agents that deliver personalized content to visitors. Content development guidelines will assist developers in creating accessible information. The MUSE WebPad is a handheld device used to access this content with voice and touch screen input, and multimedia capabilities for delivering audio, images, video and animations. And, a wireless network in the museum connects the WebPad to the MVIS. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Anchored in research that extends both wireless technologies and museum offerings to individuals with disabilities, IIPI has identified an opportunity that is concurrent with growing trends within the Museum Industry and the disabled population. The proposed system will reach a 1 billion visitor museum market. Designing and developing a system that combines wireless technologies with universal design standards will result in products demanded by the Museum and travel industries.