Eyes-Free Computing — Past, Present And Future

Electronic information is display-independent. This simple idea was the underpinning of my PhD thesis work on Audio System For Technical Readings (AsTeR). 30 years later, this simple idea continues to drive much of my research in creating ubiquitous information access that matches the user's needs and abilities at any given point in time.

This talk will explore the space of eyes-free information access by using concrete examples from past projects. Eyes-free information access is no longer a niche application — with the arrival of smart speakers and other devices that provide seamless access to an AI-powered Assistant, creating effective eyes-free information access is now a mainstream need. In parallel, our physical world continues to be increasingly digitized and available online — where the World Wide Web was once considered to be a means of disseminating electronic documents, today we can share everything from digitized maps to 3D scanned models of physical artifacts. Looking forward, what will eyes-free information access bring in the next 25 years?