Context understanding technology to improve Internet accessibility for users with

描述(申请人提供)：该SBIR项目的目的是开发一种新的工具，以提高盲人和视障人士快速访问正确网页的能力，避免最终出现在错误的网页上，并有效地到达网页的所需部分。这个项目的动机是，对网页进行全面的理解是视障计算机用户面临的最大挑战之一。尽管目前存在诸如屏幕阅读器之类的工具来将网页上的文本转换为可听语音，但这只解决了问题的一小部分。针对视障人士的现有工具连续、完整、详细地呈现整个网页，并且如果用户还不熟悉网站，则需要费力且耗时的过程来阅读有时数百个文本对象，然后才能知道所讨论的页面上是否存在任何感兴趣的内容。相比之下，建议的技术分析网页，并提供文本上下文和页面布局的简洁、信息性概要，以便用户快速了解在页面上哪里可以找到相关信息。拟议的第一阶段项目涉及与用户和教师合作验证概念，创建概念验证软件来执行上述分析，并进行最终用户评估研究，以验证新工具旨在与市场领先的屏幕阅读器配合使用，提高他们浏览互联网的能力和信心。 与公众健康相关：这一第二阶段SBIR项目的研发将改善视力残疾人士使用互联网的方式。这项技术将有助于克服目前盲人和视障用户缺乏无障碍和高度挫折感的问题。该项目的结果将使这些人能够探索新的机会并提高生产力，从而提供更好的就业潜力和生活质量的提高。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this SBIR project is to develop a new tool to improve the ability of blind and visually impaired people to quickly get to the right web pages, to avoid ending up on the wrong web pages, and to reach the desired part of the web page efficiently. The motivation for this project is that getting a 'big picture' understanding of a web page is one of the biggest challenges facing visually impaired computer users. Although tools such as screen readers currently exist to convert the text on web pages to audible speech, this solves only a small part of the problem. Existing tools for the visually impaired present the entire web page serially, in full detail, and if the user is not already familiar with the website, it requires a laborious and time- consuming process to read through sometimes hundreds of text objects before knowing whether anything of interest even exists on the page in question. In contrast, the proposed technology analyzes web pages and provides a succinct, informative synopsis of the context of the text and layout of the page, so that a user quickly gains an understanding of where relevant information can be found on the page. The proposed Phase I project involves working with users and instructors to verify the concept, creation of proof-of-concept software to perform the above analysis, and an end-user evaluation study to verify that the new tool, designed to work in conjunction with a market-leading screen reader, improves their abilities and confidence in Internet browsing. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The R&D in this Phase II SBIR project will result in an improved way to use the Internet for individuals with visual disabilities. The technology will help to overcome the lack of accessibility and high level of frustration currently found among blind and visually impaired users. The results of the project will enable such individuals to explore new opportunities and be more productive, thus providing improved employment potential and an increase in the quality of life.