MUSE WEBPADS: PROVIDING MUSEUM VISITORS UNIVERSAL ACCESS

DESCRIPTION(provided by applicant): The MUSE System delivers personalized
experiences to museum visitors on a handheld tablet computer based on their
preferences, special needs, and other contextual information. The system will
be built on Universal Design standards and developed with user participatory
design methods to help ensure the product will serve the broadest audience
possible. The primary focus is on progressing efforts to increase intellectual
accessibility for individuals with low vision, low hearing and mobility
impairments in museums. Our innovative approach will impact the over 1 billion
people in the US that visit museums and the entire museum experience by
deploying the latest mobile computing technology to provide experiences that
are accessible, informative, entertaining, and social. The MUSE system is
composed of four components. The Museum Visitor information System (MVIS)
server stores the content, personal profiles, and intelligent agents that
deliver personalized content to visitors. Content development guidelines will
assist developers in creating accessible information. The MUSE WebPad is a
handheld device used to access this content with voice and touch screen input,
and multimedia capabilities for delivering audio, images, video and animations.
And, a wireless network in the museum connects the WebPad to the MVIS.
PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION:
Anchored in research that extends both wireless technologies and museum offerings to individuals with disabilities, IIPI has identified an opportunity that is concurrent with
growing trends within the Museum Industry and the disabled population. The proposed
system will reach a 1 billion visitor museum market. Designing and developing a system
that combines wireless technologies with universal design standards will result in
products demanded by the Museum and travel industries.