Automated Banking Machine Audible Interface for Visually Impaired Users
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated banking machines, such as ATMs, are not easily operable by consumers who are visually impaired due to their reliance on visual user interfaces, which excludes them from conducting banking transactions.
Innovation Solution
The development of an automated banking machine that incorporates both visual and audible user interfaces, using terminal control software to provide verbal instructions and descriptions of key locations and functions, allowing users to navigate and perform transactions through touch and auditory cues, including the ability to repeat instructions and adjust volume levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a visual user interface is used for automated banking machines, then normal vision consumers can easily operate the machine, but visually impaired consumers cannot operate the machine
Solution Approach 1:
The automated banking machine is designed to provide multiple types of user interfaces (visual display, audible outputs, tactile feedback) that can be used by different types of users. The system can switch between visual and audible modes depending on user needs, making the machine universally operable by both sighted and visually impaired consumers without requiring separate devices for each user type.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an audible user interface is added to the automated banking machine, then visually impaired consumers can operate the machine, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The audible user interface components are integrated into the existing automated banking machine system rather than being separate external devices. The terminal control software is modified to generate audible outputs from the same processing system that handles visual displays, combining multiple interface functions into a unified system that reduces overall complexity compared to having separate devices.
3Adaptability or versatility
If terminal control software is modified to provide audible outputs, then both visual and audible interfaces are available, but the software complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal control software is designed to serve multiple functions: it processes visual display outputs, generates audible verbal instructions, and manages tactile feedback all through the same software framework. This multi-functional approach allows the software to handle diverse user interface requirements without requiring separate dedicated software systems for each interface type.
Data Source
AI summary
An automated banking machine is operative to output a visual and audible user interface which enables a consumer to operate the machine. The visual user interface includes a plurality of hierarchically organized visual screens. For each visual screen, the exemplary machine includes corresponding verbal instructions which are output through external loudspeakers or a headphone placed in operative connection with an external port of the machine. Upon insertion of the headphone into the port, the machine is operative to mute the output to any external loudspeakers and set the audio output through the headphone to a minimum or medium volume level. The automated banking machine is responsive to operating at least one volume control key to cycle the audible output through a plurality of different volume levels. For each input, the machine is operative to output verbal description of the function associated with the input.