SBIR-STTR Award

Accessible Graphing Scientific Interactive Calculator
Award last edited on: 8/31/04

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
NIH : NEI
Total Award Amount
$686,921
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
-----

Principal Investigator
Ronald A Morford

Company Information

Automated Functions Inc

7700 Leesburg Pike Suite 420
Falls Church, VA 22043
   (703) 883-9797
   autofunc@cs.com
   N/A
Location: Single
Congr. District: 08
County: Fairfax

Phase I

Contract Number: 1R43EY013512-01
Start Date: 00/00/00    Completed: 00/00/00
Phase I year
2001
Phase I Amount
$100,000
Many high schools use a graphing scientific calculator to assist students in math and science courses. These calculators have a built-in screen and displays graphs and perform scientific functions. These calculators are used widely in higher math (Algebra I and beyond) and science courses. They are a valuable tool for high school teachers and students. Unfortunately, the graphing scientific calculators are not accessible to visually impaired people. Real time, interactive, independent comprehension of two dimensional graphs by visually impaired students is not known This project will increase the knowledge base in interactive graph analysis and interactive scientific calculation research for visually impaired people. The Accessible Graphing Scientific Interactive Calculator (AUSIC) will use three sensory modalities to create a tool to assist the visually impaired user in independently analyzing one or many graphs. This research is being performed by Automated Functions, Inc. who is expert in the design and development of adaptive aid technology to assist visually impaired people. Math and science fleds are very important in our technical world, and visually impaired people need access to the commercial scientific calculators so they can succeed in their educational and business endeavors.

Phase II

Contract Number: 2R44EY013512-02
Start Date: 00/00/00    Completed: 00/00/00
Phase II year
2003
(last award dollars: 2004)
Phase II Amount
$586,921

Many high schools use a graphing scientific calculator to assist students in math and science courses. These calculators have a built-in screen and displays graphs and perform scientific functions. These calculators are used widely in higher math (Algebra I and beyond) and science courses. They are a valuable tool for high school teachers and students. Unfortunately, the graphing scientific calculators are not accessible to visually impaired people. Real time, interactive, independent comprehension of two-dimensional graphs by visually impaired students is not known. This project will increase the knowledge base in interactive graph analysis and interactive scientific calculation research for visually impaired people. The Accessible Graphing Scientific Interactive Calculator (AGSIC) will use three sensory modalities to create a tool to assist the visually impaired user in independently analyzing one or many graphs. This research is being performed by Automated Functions Inc. who is expert in the design and development of adaptive aid technology to assist visually impaired people. Math and science fields are very important in our technical world, and visually impaired people need access to the "commercial scientific calculators so they can succeed in their educational and business endeavors.

Thesaurus Terms:
assistive device /technology, biomedical equipment development, computer graphics /printing, computer program /software, computer system design /evaluation, information display, mathematics, vision aid, vision disorder computer data analysis, secondary school, statistics /biometry bioengineering /biomedical engineering, clinical research, human subject