AccessScope project: Independent microscope operation for students with mobility and visual impairments

项目摘要在这个项目中，将专门为行动不便和视力有障碍的学生设计一个自动显微镜工作站，让他们独立操作光学显微镜的所有功能。在以前的一个项目中，开发了一种名为Access Scope的无障碍显微镜工作站，使行动不便的人能够在没有个人计算机帮助的情况下控制研究光学显微镜，包括加载幻灯片。PC成为控制显微镜硬件和通过摄像机在实时预览窗口中显示幻灯片图像的用户界面。因此，PC取代了物理操作显微镜工作站和通过显微镜目镜观察的需要。AccessScope项目表明，独立控制显微镜是可能的，并有助于残疾学生积极参与这项实验室技术。智能价值技术进步可以为AccessScope提供更强大的功能和由视力障碍学生独立操作的能力。在这个项目中，将开发一个独立的软件应用程序来控制AccessScope和查看幻灯片。这个新的软件应用程序将提供其他商业应用程序所没有的功能，包括在以前的AccessScope项目中使用的应用程序。更好的舞台移动，幻灯片图像的实时theta旋转，以及通过互联网远程控制AccessScope工作站。使用个人电脑的残疾学生将能够在几乎任何地方远程控制公共共享的研究水平光学显微镜。AccessScope应用程序的图形用户界面将设计为适应视力低下和上肢运动障碍的用户。用户界面的设计特征将包括用户可定义的快捷键、直观的图形按钮和模拟控件、色彩过滤以及改变用户界面的颜色、大小和对比度的能力。AccessScope应用程序将为行动不便的用户提供不同的辅助技术输入设备，并为视觉有障碍的用户提供屏幕放大器、放大镜和阅读器。AccessScope应用程序的设计将非常简单，可供残疾中学生和大专学生使用，但又足够强大，对科学家来说是有价值的。广泛影响AccessScope项目的目标是允许行动不便或视力低下的学生独立使用光学显微镜，并能够像健全的同龄人一样积极参与相同的学习体验。显微镜在许多STEM领域都是必不可少的工具。显微镜不仅允许残疾学生参加实验室课程，而且实践经验使他们更好地了解组织标本的特征、组织学载玻片是如何制作的，以及显微镜光学的物理及其局限性。基于活动的学习对于追求本科科学教育、毕业水平的研究以及许多科学和工程职业至关重要。AccessScope软件程序将使残疾学生能够完全控制商业上可用的显微镜设备。该程序将免费分发给中等和大专院校的学生和教师，从而减少开发Access Scope工作站的费用。此外，还将提供该应用程序的演示版本，允许用户无需承诺即可评估AccessScope。

PROJECT SUMMARYIn this project an automated microscope workstation will be specifically designed forstudents with mobility and visual impairments to independently operate all features of lightmicroscopy. In a previous project an accessible microscopy workstation, called AccessScope,was developed to allow persons with mobility impairments to control a research light microscopewithout assistance through a personal computer, including loading slides. The PC became theuser interface for controlling the microscope hardware and for displaying slide images in a livepreview window via a video camera. Thus, the PC replaced the need to physically operate themicroscopy workstation and view through microscope eyepieces. The AccessScope projectdemonstrated that independent control of microscopy was possible and useful for students withdisabilities to actively participate in this laboratory technique.Intellectual MeritTechnical advancements can provide AccessScope with even greater functionality andthe capability to be independently operated by students with visual impairments. A standalonesoftware application to control AccessScope and view slides will be developed in this proposedproject. This new software application will provide features that other commercial applications,including the one used in the previous AccessScope project, do not offer. Better stage movement,theta rotation of slide images in real-time, and remote control of the AccessScope workstationthrough the internet will be available. Disabled students using a PC will be able to remotelycontrol a publicly shared research-level light microscope from virtually anywhere. The graphicaluser interface of the AccessScope application will be designed to accommodate users with lowvision and upper limb motor impairments. Design features of the user interface will include userdefinable shortcut keys, intuitive graphical buttons and analog controls, color filtering, and theability to alter the user interface's color, size, and contrast. The AccessScope application will becompliant with different assistive technology input devices for users with mobility impairmentsand screen enlargers, magnifiers, and readers for users with visual impairments. TheAccessScope application will be simple enough in design to be used by secondary andpostsecondary students with disabilities yet powerful enough to be valuable for scientists.Broad ImpactThe goal of the AccessScope project is to allow students with mobility impairments orlow vision to independently use a light microscope and be able to actively participate in the samelearning experiences as their able-bodied peers. Microscopy is an essential tool in many STEMfields. Not only does microscopy allow disabled students to participate in laboratory courses, butthe hands-on experience provides a greater understanding of the character of tissue specimens,how histology slides are created, and the physics of microscope optics including its limitations.Activity-based learning is critical for pursuing an undergraduate science education, graduatelevel research, and many careers in science and engineering.The AccessScope software program will allow students with disabilities to have completecontrol of commercially available microscope equipment. This program will be freely distributedto students and teachers in secondary and postsecondary institutions, thus decreasing the expenseof developing an AccessScope workstation. In addition, a demonstration version of theapplication will also be available to allow users to evaluate AccessScope without commitment.