Category: Misc.

At the root of accessibility technology lies braille, a code composed of 63 characters that can be depicted using a six-position matrix of raised dots. The inspiration for braille came from a 12-dot system designed by Charles Barbier. His intent was to enable communication between the mostly illiterate soldiers in the French army and to make communication possible at night; the embossed dots represented sounds that could be felt. This system was not a great success in the army, but young Louis Braille recognized the start of an ingenious concept. Louis was blinded at the age of three during an Read More …

The Internet is tangled with almost every aspect of daily life, from online learning to accessing banking information to communicating with coworkers. It has become a means for finding general information like bus routes, restaurant menus, and local government contact information. Our general reliance on websites to convey this information can prove problematic when the sites in question are not accessible. Accessibility must address a number of facets. Disabilities that may limit web accessibility include visual, cognitive, and hearing impairments, as well as learning disabilities and mobility restrictions. What makes a website accessible? The Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Read More …

Kevin Lei first joined Emory in 1997. Since then, he has served the Office of Technology Transfer for over 2 decades in a variety of roles. He has helped to advance the intellectual property of the university, built strong relationships with Emory faculty, and has been a strong promoter of Emory technologies. He also served as the university’s first Technology Scout, which has proven to be an important role for researchers with novel technologies or start-up concepts. His contributions to OTT have been invaluable. To celebrate Kevin’s retirement after an incredible career, we asked him to reflect on his time Read More …

The ball drop has become an iconic staple for New Year’s Eve celebrations worldwide. This is especially true in New York’s Times Square celebration. Despite the seemingly modern invention, the first iteration of the nearly twelve-thousand-pound ball was created back in the nineteenth century. Can you guess the surprising link between ship navigation and the New Year’s Ball Drop? Time balls originated in the early eighteen-hundreds. Since this was before there were time zones in America, most cities kept track of their own time based on the sun. The lack of centralized time made it difficult to know the exact Read More …