Access Currents Volume 9, No.6 November/December 2003

Inventor Dean Kamen Briefs the Board on the iBOT Mobility System
In November, Board members received a demonstration of the iBOT(tm) Mobility System by inventor and entrepreneur, Dean Kamen.Kamen, who established his reputation as an inventor with the development of a portable kidney dialysis machine, intravascular stents, and other devices that are now staples in the health care field, first thought of creating the iBOT Transporter more than 15 years ago when he spotted a person using a wheelchair struggle with a curb.After years of research and development, the device is now commercially available and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in August.

At first glance, the iBOT does not look very different from a power wheelchair. However, through a computerized system of sensors, gyroscopes and electric motors, it can operate on four wheels or two wheels and stabilizes the user by automatically adjusting and balancing itself.Its balancing capabilities allow users to move around at standing eye level and to reach high places independently.The device also can be used to traverse stairs and curbs and, in four-wheel drive mode, is designed to handle rough or uneven terrain as well as gravel or sandy surfaces.At the Board's invitation, Kamen demonstrated the iBOT's various capabilities and briefed members on its inception and development.The Board has sought to stay abreast of trends and revolutions in the design of mobility aid devices and technologies.While the Board does not regulate mobility aids, it is working to develop information on how on-going changes in the size, shape, and operating characteristics of such devices may ultimately impact the data upon which its accessibility guidelines for facilities and transit vehicles are based (see page 2).

Board Announces 2004 Research and Technical Assistance Agenda
Each year, the Board funds a variety of projects to develop information for its use in establishing accessibility guidelines and providing technical guidance to the public on accessible design. Some projects support needed research while others center on workshops and the development of guidance material.In 2004, the Board plans to fund several new projects, including a study on developing transfer devices for amusement rides, an industry workshop on field tolerances in construction, and a study on how static electricity generated at slides and similar play equipment impacts children with cochlear implants.The agenda also includes projects to develop an on-line training program for playground design and guidance material on recreation facilities.In addition, 2004 monies will be used to fund additional work on an on-going research project on wheeled mobility and to supplement a study on access at traffic roundabouts.

In order to maximize limited resources, the Board continuously works to coordinate its research program with those of other organizations having similar interests and goals.Many projects are undertaken in partnership with other agencies. Those fully sponsored by the Board are typically conducted under contracts with outside organizations.Contracts are advertised and awarded through the standard competitive bid process that governs other Federal contracts.Advertised contracts and requests for proposals are posted on the Board's website once issued.For further information on the Board's research program, visit its website at www.access-board.gov or contact Lois Thibault, Coordinator of Research, at research@access-board.gov (e-mail), (202) 272-0023 (v) or (202) 272-0082 (TTY).

International Workshop Advances Research on Mobility Aids
The design and functional characteristics of mobility aids have become increasingly diverse over the past few decades. Various types of powered wheelchairs and scooters have become commonplace and are being used by a broader and more varied range of people with disabilities.This growing diversity among both mobility aids and people who use them brings into question existing data upon which existing accessibility criteria, particularly design specifications for facilities and vehicles, can be assessed.Research reviews, including one sponsored by the Board, indicate that most available data are not representative of today's product market or the population of mobility aid users.Reliable data on powered devices and their users is particularly lacking.To fill this knowledge gap, the Board is sponsoring a multi-year project to help develop a database on human measures that takes into account the various types of mobility aids now in use.This project will further work underway by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Universal Design at the University at Buffalo, New York.

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Universal Design is part of a network of rehabilitation research entities funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.The Center uses research, product development, and information dissemination to create new resources for Universal Design practice.Universal Design, as a design practice, emphasizes careful planning and execution so that a product, environment, or system is easily usable by the broadest range of people.

The Center has developed and tested protocols for collecting static and dynamic measurements of people who use various types of wheelchairs and scooters.The aim of the project is to establish a database on mobility aids and user sizes and functional task performance that will support the development of three-dimensional digital models of wheelchair and scooter users.Such models would provide a valuable tool in evaluating accessibility specifications and in the planning and design of products and spaces. The Board's funding broadens the scope of the Center's project by expanding the type of data to be collected.The Board is particularly interested in data on space requirements, maneuvering parameters, reach ranges, and other key measures and dimensions.The Center has developed measurement protocols to collect this type of data through ongoing research.

In laying the ground work for the project, the Center organized an international workshop on space requirements for wheeled mobility aids that was held in October at the State University of New York at Buffalo.The conference centered on discussion and assessment of methods for collecting data most appropriate for the project.Specifically, the Center used the conference to validate and refine its research plan and measurement protocols with input from experts in the fields of human factors research, data analysis and demographic studies, disability research, and the design of mobility aids.Over 60 such experts and stakeholders participated in the conference, including researchers from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Papers presented at the workshop included a critical review of recent anthropometry research of wheeled mobility users and assessments of trends and issues in wheeled mobility technologies, disability data and demographics, and lift and ramp technologies. There were also presentations made on related research from other countries, anthropometry and accessibility guidelines, long-range research plans, and human modeling software. The workshop featured sessions that focused on related types of research relevant to the project's goals, summaries of key issues that must be considered in current and future human measures, studies of wheeled mobility users, and recent developments in human modeling that are particularly relevant to the project.The Center will issue a report on the proceedings of the workshop and its findings.For information from the workshop, including presented papers, visit the Center's website at http://www.ap.buffalo.edu/rercud/news.htm.

In the next phases of the project, researchers will prepare a synthesis of international space requirement standards and recommendations for the classification of devices and demographic data.An initiative to establish the study protocols as an approved standard for international research will follow. Subsequent phases of the project will involve collecting and organizing data in cooperation with several participating research centers in different geographic locations.For further information on the project, contact the Center at (800) 628-2281 (phone), (716) 829-3861 (fax), orrercud@ap.buffalo.edu (e-mail).

On-Line Guidance Now Available on Telecommunications Products
Since issuing its standards for electronic and information technology under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Board has maintained a program of continuing on-line guidance and training on compliance with the standards. The section 508 standards cover various means of disseminating information, including computers, software, websites, and electronic office equipment.Federal agencies must ensure that the technologies they procure are accessible according to the standards.

The Board recently released an on-line guide on provisions in the standards for telecommunications products.These provisions are designed primarily to ensure access for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and address compatibility with hearing aids, cochlear implants, assistive listening devices, and TTYs (devices that provide access to telephones for persons with hearing or speech impairments).Specifications address adjustable volume controls for output, TTY connections, product interface with hearing technologies, and the usability of keys and controls. The new guide explains these provisions in detail and clarifies how they can be met.It is available on the Board's website at www.access-board.gov/508.htm.

The information from this guide will serve as the basis for an upcoming web-based tutorial. This course will be the last installment in a series of tutorials on the 508 standards which is available free through the Federal Information Technology Accessibility Initiative's "508 Universe" program atwww.section508.gov. The program includes existing tutorials on other sections of the 508 standards, as well as a user-friendly introduction to the law and information on buying compliant products.

International Code Council Briefs the Board on Federal Outreach Efforts
The International Code Council (ICC), a 50,000-member association that develops codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, is undertaking a program to coordinate its work with Federal agencies that have an interest in building regulations.The ICC, which represents the successful integration of the nation's regional model code organizations into one entity, maintains a series of international model construction codes, including the International Building Code (IBC).The ICC seeks to work more closely with Federal agencies and has met with representatives from various departments to brief them on the work and services of the ICC and to explore common interests and policy goals.These briefings also include guidance on how agencies, as well as members of the public, can participate in the ICC's code development process.

At the Board's November meeting, officials from the ICC provided a presentation on this outreach initiative. Richard Kuchnicki, Federal Program Manager at the ICC, and David Conover, National Program Liaison, are active in coordinating the work of the ICC with Federal entities and national organizations concerned with the built environment and building regulations. The ICC has formed a Federal Advisory Committee to facilitate this coordination effort and is seeking representatives from Federal agencies to serve as members.The committee's first meeting is planned for early 2004.

The Board and the ICC have worked extensively over the years to reconcile differences between the Board's ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) and accessibility provisions in, or referenced by, the IBC. Kuchnicki noted that the ICC aims to further mainstream the IBC's coverage of accessibility and to revisit certain sections, such as provisions for accessible means of egress.He also briefed members on ICC coordination activities with various Federal agencies on accessibility and other aspects of building regulation.

For further information on the ICC's outreach efforts, contact David Conover of the ICC, at (703) 931-4533, ext. 244, (703) 931-6505 (fax),dconover@iccsafe.org (e-mail), or visit the ICC's website at www.iccsafe.org.

National Institute of Standards and Technology Holds Symposium on Voting Systems
The Help America Vote Act, passed by Congress last year, establishes requirements for voting systems used in Federal elections that will allow voters to verify and correct their selections before casting a ballot, remove language barriers, and ensure access for persons with disabilities.Under the law, every precinct in the country must have at least one voting machine or system accessible to persons with disabilities, including those with vision impairments, by January 1, 2006.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which has key responsibilities under the Act, held a symposium on building trust and confidence in voting systems at its Gaithersburg, Maryland headquarters in December.Founded in 1901 as the nation's first federal physical science research laboratory, NIST develops and promotes measurement, standards and technology to enhance productivity and to facilitate trade.Under the new law, NIST will assume a key role in the development of standards for voting systems which will include provisions for accessibility.It will chair a committee charged with making recommendations on the standards which will include representation from the Board.

The symposium featured panel discussions on various aspects of voting systems, including computer security and openness, specification and testability, and usability and accessibility. Participants included State and local election officials, academic researchers, voting systems vendors, disability advocates, independent testing authorities, election lawyers, and voting rights activists.As part of its work under the new law, NIST also has undertaken a study on the usability and accessibility of voting systems and the impact of human factors on the effectiveness of election-related technologies.A report on this study will be issued by NIST in coming weeks.For more information, contact Allan Eustis of NIST at voting@nist.gov (e-mail) or (301) 975-5099 (phone).Information on the symposium is posted on NIST's website at http://vote.nist.gov.

"Access Currents" is a free newsletter issued by the Access Board every other month by mail and e-mail.Send questions or comments to news@access-board.gov or call (800) 872-2253 ext. 0026 (voice) or (800) 993-2822 (TTY).Mailing address: 1331 F Street, N.W., Suite 1000; Washington, D.C. 20004-1111.

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