Enhancing accessibility for individuals with disabilities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12455751-B2
Application number	US-202318211373-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2023
Priority date	Jun 19, 2023
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

Disability-related information of a user of a computing device can be acquired, the computing device can present a scene with user interface elements to the user. An accessibility requirement of the user can be identified based on the acquired disability-related information of the user. A processing routine can be determined from a plurality of processing routines stored in a routine library based on the accessibility requirement of the user. One or more of the user interface elements of the scene can be modified using the determined processing routine. The scene with the modified one or more of the user interface elements can be presented to the user through the computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for enhancing accessibility for individuals with disabilities, comprising:
acquiring, by one or more processing units, disability-related information of a user of a computing device presenting a scene with user interface elements to the user, the scene being implemented in a metaverse system;
identifying, by one or more processing units, an accessibility requirement of the user based on the acquired disability-related information of the user obtained from a personal accessibility requirement repository, wherein the personal accessibility requirement repository stores the accessibility requirement of the user based on historical data of the user during navigations in the metaverse system;
determining, by one or more processing units, a processing routine from a plurality of processing routines stored in a routine library based on the accessibility requirement of the user;
modifying, by one or more processing units, one or more of the user interface elements of the scene using the determined processing routine; and
presenting, by one or more processing units, the scene with the modified one or more of the user interface elements to the user through the computing device,
wherein the plurality of processing routines stored in the routine library are generated by filtering, analyzing, and transforming existing accessibility guidelines retrieved from an accessibility guidance database.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying of the accessibility requirement of the user based on the acquired disability-related information of the user comprises:
identifying, by one or more processing units, the accessibility requirement of the user from a public accessibility requirement repository storing accessibility requirements of different user groups with different disabilities.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the disability-related information of the user indicates one or more of: visual impairment, hearing impairment, cognitive impairment, neurological disorder, and motor dysfunction.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the accessibility requirement of the user indicates one or more of the following:
enhancing one or more of the user interface elements in a type corresponding to the disability-related information of the user; and
converting one or more of the user interface elements in the type corresponding to the disability-related information of the user into a different type.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of processing routines are stored in the routine library in association with a corresponding plurality of accessibility requirements for individuals with different disabilities, and
wherein the processing routine is determined based on a match between the processing routine and the accessibility requirement of the user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying of the one or more of the user interface elements of the scene using the determined processing routine comprises:
identifying, by one or more processing units, one or more of the user interface elements within the scene presented to the user that match the identified accessibility requirement of the user; and
modifying, by one or more processing units, the one or more of the user interface elements using the determined processing routine.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying of the one or more of the user interface elements using the determined processing routine comprises one or more of the following:
increasing, by one or more processing units, a contrast ratio of the one or more of the user interface elements for the user;
enlarging, by one or more processing units, a size of the one or more of the user interface elements for the user;
converting, by one or more processing units, the one or more of the user interface elements in one of a visual type and an audible type into the other type;
simplifying, by one or more processing units, an operation flow of the one or more of the user interface elements for the user; and
providing, by one or more processing units, an alternative interaction mode for the one or more of the user interface elements for the user.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the disability-related information of the user indicates that the user is color-blind, and the processing routine comprises program codes executable for:
identifying, by one or more processing units, one or more user interface elements rendered in different colors within a field of view of the user;
determining, by one or more processing units, whether the user interface elements are distinguished from each other based only on the different colors; and
adding, by one or more processing units, one or more other differentiating attributes to the user interface elements.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of processing routines stored in the routine library are updated based on an update to the accessibility guidelines and/or a manual editing by the user.

10. A system for enhancing accessibility for individuals with disabilities, comprising:
one or more processors;
a memory coupled to at least one of the processors; and
a set of computer program instructions stored in the memory, which, when executed by at least one of the processors, perform actions of:
acquiring disability-related information of a user of a computing device presenting a scene with user interface elements to the user, the scene being implemented in a metaverse system;
identifying an accessibility requirement of the user based on the acquired disability-related information of the user obtained from a personal accessibility requirement repository, wherein the personal accessibility requirement repository stores the accessibility requirement of the user based on historical data of the user during navigations in the metaverse system;
determining a processing routine from a plurality of processing routines stored in a routine library based on the accessibility requirement of the user;
modifying one or more of the user interface elements of the scene using the determined processing routine; and
presenting the scene with the modified one or more of the user interface elements to the user through the computing device,
wherein the plurality of processing routines stored in the routine library are generated by filtering, analyzing, and transforming existing accessibility guidelines retrieved from an accessibility guidance database.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the identifying of the accessibility requirement of the user based on the acquired disability-related information of the user comprises:
identifying the accessibility requirement of the user from a public accessibility requirement repository storing accessibility requirements of different user groups with different disabilities.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the accessibility requirement of the user indicates one or more of the following:
enhancing one or more of the user interface elements in a type corresponding to the disability-related information of the user; and
converting one or more of the user interface elements in the type corresponding to the disability-related information of the user into a different type.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of processing routines are stored in the routine library in association with a corresponding plurality of accessibility requirements for individuals with different disabilities, and
wherein the processing ro

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Chen Dong
• Wang Ye Chuan
• Li xiang wei
• Liu ju ling
• An Yu
• Yan Wei
• Zhan Ting Ting

Classifications

• G06F3/04845

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• G06F9/453 Primary

  Help systems · CPC title