Accessible Wireless Emergency Alerts: realizing new ideas

1. Accessible Wireless Emergency Alerts: realizing new ideas Helena Mitchell, Ph.D. Principal Investigator Georgia Institute of Technology The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies is sponsored by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the U.S. Department of Education under grant number H133E060061.  The opinions contained in this presentation are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or NIDRR.

2. Wireless Use in the United States • 54 million or 19% of U.S. residents have some type of disability. • An additional 35million are over the age of 65 with similar limitations. • 80% of U.S. population use wireless services. • Mobile wireless devices can increase independence and quality of life for people with disabilities. • Lower cost of new models of wireless devices is enabling diffusion to all users, including people with disabilities. • Increased range of wireless devices capable of receiving emergency information.

3. Wireless Use Among People with Disabilities Survey of User Needs -- RERC Consumer Advisory Network 1200 plus people with disabilities • Between 2001-07: • Access to wireless technology increased from 72% to 85% • Everyday use increased from 40% to 65%for voice 70% • Importance to individual increased from 60% to 77% 65%of people with disabilities state a wireless device was important for its role in emergencies.

4. Wireless Emergency Communications project • Project objective: Ensure critical, specific andaccessible emergency alerts are reaching people with disabilities, utilizing the most optimal means and methods. • Methodology:Develop prototypes of promising technology approaches to deliver alerts in accessible formats. • Administer 4 field tests studying the accessibility and effectiveness of emergency alerts to wireless devices. • Administer a pre-test and post-test questionnaire to gather pertinent data on users with visual and audible disabilities. • Tabulate quantitative and qualitative data for reports and presentations to policy makers. • Generate recommendations to the FCC on feasible approaches to ensure accessible alerts.

5. The Testing Begins:Universal Access to Emergency Alerts • Each test 30 volunteers broken into groups of 10. • Within each group blind and low vision, deaf and hard-of-hearing, and mobility challenged. • Each group three classes of users: technology savvy, mixed ability, infrequent users. • Supplied mobile phones with custom software. • Sent a series of emergency messages in various formats including – • SMS and audio-oriented interfaces • text-to-speech reading of emergency alerts • Varied vibrating cadences • Final 4th test used different parameters.

6. A Pre-test Question

7. Findings on Accessibility Elements • Test one: 94% of blind, low vision participants stated software was improvement over how they currently receive emergency alerts. • Test two:81% of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind noted an improvement. • Test three: 92% of deaf and hard-of-hearing and visually impaired found devices an improvement. • Test four: This test included suggested improvements, a reduction in characters, lack of URL, and varied vibrating cadences. Of those who participated in previous tests 77% stated it was an improvement. • Focus group: Unique event discussing American Sign Language alerts. • Post-field test revealed that 83% of people with sensory disabilities found receiving emergency alerts via mobile wireless highly desirable.

8. Participant Feedback: specific positive comments • Very convenient way to receive alerts. • Would be able to react to the alert quicker. • I’m not always around TV, friends or family. • This is very benefit while travel on the road or walking around. • This would be better than what we have now. • It was easy to hear. • It was verbal and I could understand it. I could get a repeat on it. • Using a mobile phone for notification is superior to other channels. • This would make me feel safer, I wouldn't worry about not being aware. • I especially liked that we were given a link with more in-depth information.

9. Participant Feedback: specific constructive comments • Provide cues for blind or visually impaired to replay the message. • Large font size and standardized size. • More graphics, more images. • Have the ability to speed-up or slow down the voice/message. • Allow speech output to be adjustable by volume and/or pitch. • Continued or “looped” alert message until phone is answered/alert receive. • Need to be able to control which types of alerts to receive. • Give more information about where to go and what to do (dedicated website). • Quality of synthetic voice could be significantly improved, more human. • Need stronger vibration and additional flasher. • Create an interface with a lamp or bed to awaken people who are Deaf/HoH while they are sleeping and/or signal service animals.

10. Technical Applications “Gateway” system Software Internet feeds NationalWeatherService Digital signal ShortMessageService Wireless network Devices GPRS modem

11. Realizing New Ideas: inclusive solutions • Ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to critical information via wireless devices that can receive accessible visual and audible emergency alerts -- Universal design is good for everyone!!! • Vision disabilities • Cell phones that “read” SMS • Hearing disabilities • 2-way text pagers • ASL • Significant speech disabilities • AugComm • Speech synthesis/independent communication

12. www.wirelessrerc.org Helena Mitchell, Ph.D. Executive Director, Center for Advanced Communications Policy Principal Investigator, Wireless RERC Project Director, Wireless Emergency Communications Project Georgia Institute of Technology 404.385.4640 helena.mitchell@cacp.gatech.edu September 21-23, 2009 Call for Papers and Registration visit http://sot.wirelessrerc.org/ Special thanks to the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the U.S. Department of Education for its sponsorship under grant number H133E060061.