IBM Research for accessibility. Inventing technology that is more human, empathetic and adaptive to everyone’s age and ability. Eliminating barriers to information. Creating more personalized interactions. Prolonging our independence. Presentation done at the Naples forum on Service, on June 6th. http://www.naplesforumonservice.it/public/index.php

1. Naples Forum on Service
June 4-7, 2019
IBM Research
Technology for people
Roberto Villa
Mgr of Research Ecosystem, IBM Italy Research Center on Active Intelligence, Bologna

2. EFMD, MIP
October 8th, 2017
La sfida di imparare
IBM Accessibility Research
Inventing technology that is more human,
empathetic and adaptive to everyone’s
age and ability.
Eliminating barriers to information.
Creating more personalized interactions.
Prolonging our independence.

3. EFMD, MIP
October 8th, 2017
La sfida di imparare
IBM Accessibility Research
Mobile Navigation
Content Clarifier
Conversation as a sensor

4. Research project: Mobile navigation
Mobile voice navigation system that helps people
with disabilities more easily navigate the world
around them.
Leverages the IBM-Carnegie Mellon University
cognitive mobile app, NavCog, designed to provide
a contextual understanding of someone’s
location inside a building and then direct them with
an accessible route to their destination.
The indoor/outdoor voice navigation system:
• Guides users with turn-by-turn directions and
accessible route guidance
• Leverages beacons instrumented inside a building
to help recognize a user’s location
• Personalizes the way in which the directions are
delivered, such as audibly or via haptic cues
• Can be used in many different locations, such as
airports, hospitals, office buildings, and shopping
malls

5. Simplifies, summarizes, and augments content
to increase comprehension for people with
cognitive disabilities, the aging population, or
those learning English as a second language.
Leverages IBM Watson to analyze and
condense content into a simplified form so
people can consume and comprehend the most
important concepts.
• Replaces complex words, idioms and colloquialisms
with easier to understand alternatives
• Reorders and rephrases sentences
• Provides context for concepts with phonetic
pronunciations, images, maps, or alternative
communication symbols
• Integrates with mobile, web-based, or desktop
applications
Research project: Content Clarifier

6. Research project: Content Clarifier
Simplify:
This mode replaces
words and phrases
with more commonly
used wording. The
green text shows what
was replaced.
https://contentclarifier.mybluemix.net/app

7. Research project: Content Clarifier
Summarize:
This mode attempts to
pull out the most
important info, and
create a shorter
summary.
https://contentclarifier.mybluemix.net/app

8. Research project: Content Clarifier
Summarize-Simplify:
This mode attempts to
pull out the most
important info, and
create a shorter
summary with easier to
read wording.
https://contentclarifier.mybluemix.net/app

9. Research project: Content Clarifier
Show topics (1/2):
This mode inserts
additional info about
topics found in the
content, when possible.
To view this info, click
the blue links.
https://contentclarifier.mybluemix.net/app

10. Research project: Content Clarifier
https://contentclarifier.mybluemix.net/app
Show topics (2/2):
This mode inserts
additional info about
topics found in the
content, when possible.
To view this info, click
the blue links.

11. Research project: Content Clarifier
Show definitions:
This mode inserts
simple English
definitions for difficult
words, when possible.
Inserted definitions are
in parenthesis and
highlighted in ( green ).
https://contentclarifier.mybluemix.net/app

12. Research project: Content Clarifier
AAC Symbols:
This mode inserts
augmentative and
alternative
communication (AAC)
symbols, when
possible, to give visual
cues for meaning.
https://contentclarifier.mybluemix.net/app

13. Research project: Content Clarifier
Show Emotions:
This mode looks for the
emotion and tone in the
text.
https://contentclarifier.mybluemix.net/app

14. Research project: Conversation as a sensor
Voice interface with cognitive system for daily supervision:
• Analyze moods, feelings, interests and problems from daily conversation ( i.e. cognitive decline)
• Shares information with family members and health assistants
• It provides the help that allows the elderly to remain self sufficient

16. The degree of civilization
of a society can be
judged by entering its
prisons. (Fedor Dostoevsky)
The degree of civilization
of an organization
(enterprise, school, etc.)
can be judged by
assessing how its
services are accessible.

17. Thank you
@robertovjlla