Automated Accessibility Testing via Screen Reader Audio Emulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current application development technologies fail to provide accessible and navigable software, web, or mobile applications for users with disabilities, as they are not configured to be operable or compatible with accessibility features of user devices.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for automated testing of accessibility features in software, mobile, or web applications that emulate user actions to determine compatibility, using an accessibility testing module with a processor and memory to communicate input commands, capture audio outputs, and convert them to text for comparison with expected utterances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If automated testing is implemented to ensure accessibility compliance, then accessibility compliance is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility complianceVSAvoidtesting system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates virtual copies of user actions through input commands that emulate disabilities (e.g., simulating screen reader interactions, voice control commands). These digital copies allow comprehensive accessibility testing without requiring physical testing with actual assistive devices, reducing system complexity while maintaining testing reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The automated testing system acts as an intermediary between the application being tested and the accessibility requirements. It mediates by translating accessibility compliance requirements into executable test cases and automatically evaluating results, thereby improving compliance assurance without proportionally increasing system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If comprehensive user actions are emulated for testing, then accessibility compliance is improved, but testing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility complianceVSAvoidtesting time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining comprehensive input commands that cover all possible user interactions and accessibility scenarios. These test cases are prepared in advance and can be executed automatically, ensuring thorough accessibility compliance checking without requiring extensive manual testing time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The automated testing system enables continuous execution of accessibility test cases without interruption. Multiple test scenarios run sequentially or in parallel, maintaining continuous useful action that comprehensively evaluates accessibility compliance much faster than manual testing methods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Productivity

If manual accessibility testing is performed, then troubleshooting complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetesting efficiencyVSAvoidautomation system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automated testing system performs self-service by automatically executing test cases, capturing audio outputs, converting speech to text, and evaluating accessibility compliance without continuous human intervention. This self-automated process dramatically improves testing productivity while the modular architecture keeps system complexity manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements automated feedback loops where test results are immediately evaluated and reported. The automated evaluation of audio outputs against expected results provides instant feedback on accessibility compliance, eliminating the need for manual analysis and significantly improving testing efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach improves software development by ensuring accessibility compliance, reducing development time and troubleshooting complexity, and enabling developers to test compatibility across various platforms and operating systems in an automated process.

Implementation Method 1

The first processor converts the audio to a text comprising the string of utterances

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpeech-to-text conversion:

Data Source

PatentUS11520687B2System and method for automated testing of an accessibility feature of a user device by emulating actions of users

Publication Date: 2022.12.06 BANK OF AMERICA CORP

AI summary

A system for automating testing of an accessibility screen-reader for a software application includes an accessibility testing module. The accessibility testing module communicates a set of input commands to a user device in which the software application is installed. The set of input commands emulates a set of actions being performed on the software application. For each input command, an audio of a string of utterances is received when the accessibility screen-reader produces the audio. The audio is converted to a text of the string of utterances. The text is compared with a corresponding test string that is expected to be uttered by the accessibility screen-reader when a corresponding action is performed on the software application. If it is determined that the text matches the corresponding test string, it is concluded that the accessibility screen-reader uttered the corresponding test string that was expected to be uttered.