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We believe technology is at its best when it works for everyone. That\u2019s especially true when it comes to accessibility. For too long, people have had to adapt to technology \u2014 we want to build technology that adapts to them.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the idea behind Natively Adaptive Interfaces (NAI), an approach that uses AI to make accessibility a product\u2019s default, not an afterthought. The goal of our research is to build assistive technology that is more personal and effective from the beginning.<\/p>\n
Instead of building accessibility features as a separate, \u201cbolted-on\u201d option, NAI bakes adaptability directly into a product\u2019s design from the beginning. For instance, an AI agent built with the NAI framework can help you accomplish tasks with your guidance and oversight, intelligently reconfiguring itself to deliver a more accessible, personalized experience. In our research of prototypes that helped to validate this framework, a main AI agent could be used to understand your overall goal and then work with smaller, specialized agents to handle specific tasks \u2014 like making a document more accessible by adjusting the UI and scaling text for a more personalized experience. For example, it might generate audio descriptions for someone who is blind or simplify a page\u2019s layout for someone with ADHD.<\/p>\n
This often creates a \u201ccurb-cut effect,\u201d where a feature designed for a specific need ends up being helpful for everyone. A voice-controlled app designed for someone with motor disabilities, for instance, can also help a parent holding a child.<\/p>\n
The NAI framework is guided by the core principle: \u201cNothing about us, without us.\u201d Developers collaborate with the disability community throughout their design and development process, ensuring the solutions they create are both useful and usable. With support from Google.org, we\u2019re funding leading organizations that serve disability communities \u2014 like the Rochester Institute of Technology\u2019s National Technical Institute for the Deaf (RIT\/NTID), The Arc of the United States, RNID and Team Gleason \u2014 to build adaptive AI tools for their communities that will solve real-world friction points.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n