An interdisciplinary approach to
alternative representations for images
Bruno Splendiani, Mireia Ribera, Roberto García, Marina Salse
ICCHP Conference 2012 – ULD track

Overview
• Introduction
• Proposal
• Scenario
• Conclusions
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Introduction (1)
Basic Recommendation in Accessibility
“Provide text alternatives for any non-text content”
[Source: WCAG 2.0]
But
Accessibility guidelines only offer general recommendations
No standards defining:
• the analysis and creation of visual content
□ Relevant exceptions
• the process of image description in publishing workflow
□ Relevant exception
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Introduction(2)
So, we have to offer a text alternative, but HOW?
• How to improve the accessibility to visual content
and the retrieval of images?
• How to make easier the creation of alternative
representations?
• How to adapt visual information to specific contexts
of use?
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Proposal
Interdisciplinary approach
Accessibility
Information Visualization (InfoVis)
Library and Information Science (LIS)
Semantic Web
Computer Vision
How can the cross-fertilization of these disciplines help us
to improve accessibility and retrieval of images?
Let’s see an example!
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Scenario /Biomedical image
We have an image
A digital, visual representation that convey data
and information with the intention “to describe,
explain, inform or instruct” [Source: Engelhardt]
Biomedical image
“Magnetic resonance imaging of a brain with a probable case of white epidermoid cyst”
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Scenario /Life cycle (1)
The image in a life cycle
Created by an author
Managed, manipulated and archived
by an information specialist
Used in a scientific publication
according to a publisher
Accessed and searched
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Scenario / Life cycle (2)
In the “image lifecycle”
many actors are involved
in different steps of the process,
with different roles,
specific information needs
and contexts of use.
In every step a different discipline could contribute to
the improvement of the image description and retrieval
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Scenario / Step 1
From data to visual representation
Disciplines involved
• LIS : Embedded metadata
i.e. DICOM headers: modality type, equipment
number, acquisition parameters, image resolution….
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Scenario / Step 2
Image Manipulation
• Computer Vision: object recognition
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Scenario / Step 3
Image Management
• LIS: controlled vocabularies: UMLS, Mesh, ICD9…
• InfoVis: visual variables and rules of construction
• Semantic Web:
Ontologies i.e.: Bioontology /DBPediaBrain
Metadata schemas: i.e.: Schema.orgBrain Structure
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Scenario / Step 4
From management to publication
• LIS: techniques to associate metadata to the image
• Semantic Web: models of relation to different parts of the
article
• Accessibility: demands requirements, offers specific
techniques to include alternative information (i.e. alt-text,
longdesc, etc.)
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Scenario / Step 5
Access to publication by end-user
• Information Retrieval (LIS and Semantic Web)
• Accessibility: allow multimodal access by assistive
technologies
• InfoVis: adaptation of the image in different contexts of
access
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Scenario / Process
The “image life cycle”
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Scenario / Example
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Conclusions
The interdisciplinary approach
could improve
access to images for people
with disabilities
image’s retrieval
adaptation to different
contexts of use
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Thanks!
Any questions?
Bruno Splendiani
splendiani@ub.edu
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