Why Accessible AI Design is Good for Everyone

Every day, people around the globe use and benefit from innovations that were initially designed to meet the needs of disabled groups.

The long legacy of broadly-used technologies that provide universal rewards include:

• Subtitles, introduced in 1972 for Deaf viewers, are now heavily used across the Internet;
• Curb-cut sidewalks, originally created for people in wheelchairs, make it easier and safer for everyone to transition between the street and the sidewalk;
• Audiobooks, now downloaded by the millions, were originally designed as a tool for the visually impaired.

Now powered by artificial intelligence, accessible and inclusive design — design aimed at improving access to all — continues to produce technology that has universal benefits. AI has a tremendous ability to improve access for individuals with disabilities while also delivering previously-unavailable enhancements to the community at large.

Yes, so many promises are being made about how AI is changing the world — from the whimsical to the serious — that much of it is hard to believe. Certainly many of us have experience with the convenience AI offers. But while ordering a pizza through an AI-enabled device may seem life-changing after a long day, AI’s real benefit is in democratizing the tech experience and in delivering life-improving technology that benefits us all.

As a member of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, I know well the challenges faced by those with disabilities and the limits we often come up against when it comes to full participation. I’m certainly not alone. According to the US Census Bureau, nearly 20% of people have a disability that impacts their mobility, cognition, hearing, vision, and ability to live independently or manage self-care. Yet for us, one-fifth of the nation, the standard design of technology has historically prevented our full access to, and use of, the technological world. AI is changing that. And everyone is better for it.

3 tips for AI design that’s more accessible and transformational

For developers, entrepreneurs, and innovators looking to capitalize on AI, I offer three design tips on how to make technology both more accessible and more transformational for all.

Deploy AI to solve problems

Square one for AI-enabled solutions is no different than for any technology: you must solve a real problem. Issues of accessibility offer fruitful avenues to pursue. For example, for the blind and sight impaired, navigating one’s environment is often hampered by a shift in orientation points (detours, construction, development, etc.), which requires relentless focus and concentration. One clever startup, AiServe, set out to make walking safe and independently accessible to all through AI-powered simple devices that speak to (and listen to) the user.

Via machine learning, AiServe’s algorithm accumulates knowledge about the visual cues sighted walkers use to navigate; its satellite-enabled system gets increasingly accurate with each use.

With new demographic research projecting the number of older Americans who have visual impairments or who are blind to double by 2050, AiServe’s technology not only improves access for those currently impacted by vision, but promises to expand its reach to millions more. The lesson here is to use AI to solve a distinct problem experienced by a specific community, and then amplify your impact through expanded use cases.

Prioritize inclusive design

In a world that’s conditioned to value actions that are triggered by sound stimuli, the Deaf and hard of hearing can often be denied basic safety awareness. Just think of the many auditory-based situations in which hearing is assumed — maybe it’s someone yelling “Look out!” to draw attention to danger, emergency sirens announcing an oncoming tornado, or the presence of carbon monoxide triggering an alarm. Companies like HarrisCom have added visual alerts like strobe lights or vibration to devices, but AI can go far beyond. AI can supply a virtual sense of sound to any device or application — and by extension — to any person.

Beyond the safety benefits of giving the Deaf and hard of hearing sound awareness, AI-enabled contextual sound detection solutions hold promise in countless environments. Anyone who has been welcomed home by a broken pipe could certainly appreciate a smart home device that can detect rushing water and call a neighbor or turn off the water line via a smart water valve.

Developing solutions that are accessible not only improves the lives of the impacted community, but means a bigger market and greater reach.

Commit to continued research and innovation with AI

Five years ago, it was hard to imagine AI that could confirm our identity by how we passively interact with a phone (something scientists at ID R&D have been working on) or read our minds and translate our brainwaves into audible speech (as researchers at UCSF are exploring). And we are witnessing the increasingly swift movement from today’s relatively narrow application of AI to its vast application toward problems where traditional technology has thus far failed.

This will be the greatest accomplishment of accessibility, that technology will guarantee access to basic needs for everyone. Google’s leading one charge in this effort through its Impact Challenge, a $20 million project dedicated to improving accessibility worldwide.

The winners’ solutions solve specific problems — like smart image recognition for rural medical care or machine learning tools to predict landslides — but all can be applied to larger problems and the benefits felt by all. Continuously evaluate how AI might provide a new approach and periodically pause and evaluate what new applications are possible.

AI can and should make the world more accessible for everyone. When looking for inspiration, considering varied abilities can deliver broad societal benefits. Today, AI is helping make the world a little safer and easier to navigate for those who’ve been excluded from the full spectrum of innovation. Tomorrow, with a focus on invention and accessibility, AI may be creating a world of shared possibility and unlimited access.

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Thank you for reading.

Wavio is a company re-innovating the global approach to sound recognition technology. We offer software development consultation and services in adding sound recognition to your product. We strive to get companies and organizations up to speed with current sound detection use cases that give you the opportunity to add new features to your product at premium pricing. You can send us a message at hey@wavio.ai anytime.