ABSTRACT
Most current interfaces for medical devices have single modes for display of information and operation of controls. Such interfaces can be difficult or impossible to use for many individuals with disabilities. This chapter addresses a novel approach for implementing personalized interfaces for health care products that makes use of the User Interface Socket/Universal Remote Console (UI-Socket/URC) suite of national standards. Using this standard, we show how a URC can generate, on-the-fly, personalized interfaces for simulated instances of three strategic classes of medical and exercise devices. Specifically, an algorithm integrates “hints” from standards-complaint XML files that describe the target device and its socket, plus an XML file providing a user accessibility or preferences profile previously obtained through an interactive user survey. Results for nine subjects, including four with disabilities, showed that the subjects could successfully use on-the-fly interfaces and, furthermore, strongly preferred interfaces that were personalized to their abilities and preferences.
