Context understanding technology to improve Internet accessibility for users with

描述（由申请人提供）：这个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，避免在错误的网页上结束，并有效地到达网页的所需部分。这个项目的动机是获得对网页的“大局”理解是视力受损的计算机用户面临的最大挑战之一。虽然目前有屏幕阅读器等工具可以将网页上的文本转换为可听的语音，但这只解决了一小部分问题。现有的视障人士工具以完整的细节顺序呈现整个网页，如果用户还不熟悉这个网站，在了解页面上是否存在感兴趣的内容之前，需要阅读数百个文本对象，这是一个费力而耗时的过程。相比之下，所提出的技术分析网页，并提供文本上下文和页面布局的简洁，信息丰富的概要，以便用户迅速了解在页面上可以找到相关信息的位置。建议的第一阶段项目包括与用户和讲师合作验证概念，创建概念验证软件以执行上述分析，并进行最终用户评估研究，以验证新工具与市场领先的屏幕阅读器一起使用，可以提高他们浏览互联网的能力和信心。

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.