The holidays may have passed, but shopping and dining out in the new year continue for many people, including those with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Standards require retail spaces and restaurants to be accessible, from the accessible route at a site arrival point to public entrances to interior spaces of establishments. The next webinar in the U.S. AccessBoard‘s free monthly series will take place February 2 from 2:30 – 4:00 (ET) and provide an overview of the ADA and ABA accessibility requirements for parking, entrances, queues and waiting lines, food service lines, dressing and fitting rooms, fixed dining surfaces, including bar seating, sales and service counters, and checkout aisles at retail spaces and restaurants. Additionally, AccessBoardAccessibility Specialists will address frequently asked questions about these spaces and their elements.
Visit Great Lakes ADA Center’s Accessible Retail Spaces and Restaurants webinar webpage for more information or to register. All webinars include video remote interpreting (VRI) and real-time captioning. Questions can be submitted in advance of the session or can be posed during the live webinar. Webinar attendees can earn continuing education credits. The webinar series is hosted by the ADA National Network in cooperation with the Board. Archived copies of previous Board webinars are available on the site.
Complete Samsung Clover ase study on the positive impact that customer ordering kiosks provide to a relatively small retail shop. Video https://youtu.be/UotHJR3DcKs
The Pyramid Passport and Flex countertop will be shown in 1602. Both units include assistive technology and one will be running JAWS by Vispero (in McDonalds configuration)
Public access stations & apps can be securely locked down to prevent unauthorized access , and provide remote monitoring tools. KioWare Android does just that. KioWare also includes specific Samsung support for Samsung tablets. https://youtu.be/Ln_Zuv_wIvc
You can see Olea kiosk in the Storm Interface booth nearby the KMA booth at 1602. Stop by and we will walk you over. For more information on Olea Kiosks you can email info@olea.com
The next working draft of WCAG 2.2 is out for a final wide review. The draft includes 9 new success criteria since WCAG 2.1. Please send comments by 11 June 2021.
WCAG 2.2 extends WCAG 2.1 by adding new success criteria, definitions to support them, and guidelines to organize the additions. This additive approach helps to make it clear that sites that conform to WCAG 2.2 also conform to WCAG 2.1. The Accessibility Guidelines Working Group recommends that sites adopt WCAG 2.2 as their new conformance target, even if formal obligations mention previous versions, to provide improved accessibility and to anticipate future policy changes.
The following Success Criteria are new in WCAG 2.2:
The new success criteria may reference new terms that have also been added to the glossary and form part of the normative requirements of the success criteria.
In addition to the above new Success Criteria, Focus Visible has been promoted from Level AA to Level A.
Findings: a physical location is no longer required. Therefore, this legislation adopts the approach of the cases saying that title III websites must be accessible to persons with disabilities if what is going on is of the type in 42 U.S.C. §12181(7).
Definitions: WCAG is not mentioned but the principles of WCAG underpin the definition of accessible and accessibility.
Definitions: the Architectural Accessibility Board has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding kiosks. It is not clear how this legislation affects that rulemaking. Of course, there is no guarantee that this legislation will ever turn itself into law or what the final legislation may look like.
Definitions: §3(5) notably does not use the term, “place of public accommodation.” It is quite clear that §3(5) is talking about entities covered by title I, title II, title III, and §309 of the ADA.
Access to Websites and Applications: §4(1) is a clear reference to the DOJ title II and title III effective communication rules. It remains to be seen whether the title III approach, interactive process with the entity making the final call, or the title II approach, primary consideration rule, is what the regulators push.
Enforcement: interesting question as to whether compensatory damages would include emotional distress, especially after Cummings. It would appear from this legislation that the intent is that emotional distress damages are available.
Recommendations: it is unclear, from a literal review of the Act, whether there are two separate advisory committees or just one. Logically, you would think there would be two separate committees but that is far from clear. See §8(5) below.
Rules of Construction: not sure why §501 of the Rehabilitation Act is missing from §11(1).
Effective Date: elections are coming up shortly. Regardless of your political persuasion and beliefs, go out and vote. Very unclear as to how this bill will proceed regardless of who takes the majority in each house of Congress because disability is not a partisan issue. Also, many constituencies are not at all happy with the wild West of Internet litigation that currently exists. All of this makes it very interesting to follow the course of this bill in the future.
Editors Note: includes computers and peripheral equipment, information kiosks and transaction machines, telecommunications equipment, customer premises equipment, multifunction office machines, software, applications, websites, videos, and electronic documents.
Editors Note: The term “application” means software that is designed to run on a device, including a smartphone, tablet, self-service kiosk, wearable technology item, or laptop or desktop computer or another device, including a device devised after the date of enactment of this Act, and that is designed to perform, or to help the user perform, a specific task.
Editors Note: employee guidelines focus on job application, not normal operation of devices needed to perform job.
William Goren is one of the country’s foremost authorities on the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Since 1990, he has been advising on ADA compliance as both an attorney and professor—of which during his time as a…
DENVER, Oct. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Join KIOSK ASSOCIATION in Las Vegas for the Digital Signage Experience at the LVCC, Nov. 17, 2022. We are in booth 617.
Clover Kiosk by Nanonation – Nano will be highlighting their cloud platform and wide-ranging support. Nano will show 3x screens (a Samsung, an LG, and a Sony) stacked on a single dual post mount showing three SoC platforms for signage. For Nanonation show handout DSE_Nanonation Overview-compressed.
Wednesday also is the day for the highly anticipated Sixteen:Nine Mixer, a prelim session covering merger and acquisition activity. That is at the Hard Rock but sold out. You may be able to get pass from sponsors.
Regulatory Notes
November 21st is the deadline to send in responses to the nine questions the U.S. Access Board has asked for input on.
In Washington D.C. — M-Enabling Summit for Kiosk Accessibility Oct 24 Washington D.C.
AVIXA Releases New Image System Contrast Ratio Standard
Discover How Applying This Standard Takes AV Systems to their Peak Performance in Oct. 12 Webinar
FAIRFAX, VA – Sept. 22, 2022 – AVIXA, the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association, is pleased to announce the release of its standard Image System Contrast Ratio (ISCR). This standard defines acceptable minimum contrast ratios for AV presentation systems relative to their stated purpose or application.
“Presentation technology has fundamentally changed since the original PISCR (Projected Image System Contrast Ratio) standard was released,” said Jonathan Brawn, CTS, Principal, Brawn Consulting, and co-chair of this standard’s task group. “Previously, while direct-view displays were a strong part of the industry, projection-based display technology still influenced the majority of large format installations at that time. Today, direct-view technologies like very large format LCD, LCD videowalls, and increasingly, DVLED have not only maintained being mainstream but are now the dominant technology in most instances. This drove a true need to update the original PISCR standard to reflect current technology.”
This standard replaces the PISCR standard published in 2011, which applied to projection only. As direct-view displays became more prevalent, AVIXA assembled a task group to assess the technological characteristics of direct-view displays to determine whether the differences in technologies would affect how image system contrast was assessed.
The task group concluded that the measurement used in the original PISCR standard was equally appropriate for direct view displays. However, the addition of sequential (also called full on/off or inter-frame) testing was deemed necessary to accurately characterize the image system’s contrast for any technology. Sequential testing enables AV professionals to effectively measure high-performance display technologies that can create high contrast ratios in a wider range of environments.
The new ISCR standard is designed to facilitate informed decision-making for projector, screen, and direct view display selection relative to location and stated purpose. Additionally, the metrics (the contrast ratios) and classifications (the viewing categories) in this standard may be used to establish design criteria for new systems. Requirements of this standard apply to:
Planning and designing image system installations
Setting minimum and optimum contrast ratios relative to stated purposes
Testing and signing off on completed image system installations
Determining remedial solutions for a system not conforming with this standard or inadequate for the stated purpose.
The standard’s four contrast ratios are based on the following content viewing requirements:
Passive Viewing
Basic Decision Making
Analytical Decision Making
Full Motion Video
“This standard helps our industry to address our customers’ needs,” Justin Watts, CTS, Senior AV Design Engineer, and co-chair of this standard’s task group. “In new systems, we can deliver a superior experience by providing display solutions that meet or exceed the performance requirements for the core applications we represent. It’s also a powerful tool for existing systems, where we can evaluate their performance and provide sometimes needed justification for updates, upgrades, or changes to environment to maximize investments.”
AVIXA is an ANSI-accredited Standards Development Organization (SDO). The work of preparing standards is carried out through AVIXA Task Groups with oversight by the AVIXA Standards Steering Committee and governed by the AVIXA Board of Directors.
About AVIXA
AVIXA is the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association, producer of InfoComm trade shows around the world, co-owner of Integrated Systems Europe, and the international trade association representing the audiovisual industry. Established in 1939, AVIXA has more than 20,000 enterprise and individual members, including manufacturers, systems integrators, dealers and distributors, consultants, programmers, live events companies, technology managers, content producers, and multimedia professionals from more than 80 countries. AVIXA members create integrated AV experiences that deliver outcomes for end users. AVIXA is a hub for professional collaboration, information, and community and is the leading resource for AV standards, certification, training, market intelligence, and thought leadership. Visit avixa.org.
New York, September 8, 2022: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is seeking participants to support the development of a roadmap of codes and standards for electric vehicles (EVs) at scale. The roadmap will be developed by the ANSI Electric Vehicles Standards Panel (EVSP).
The roadmap will address critical codes and standards issues including high-power DC charging, storage (i.e., microgrid, distributed energy resource management systems) integrated with DC charging, vehicle grid integration, high-power scalable/interoperable wireless charging, and vehicle-oriented systems. Subject matter experts representing the following types of organizations (among others) are invited to participate:
Vehicle OEMs
Energy service providers (electric utilities, energy retailers)
EV services providers (charging network operators)
EV fleet operators / managers
EVSE manufacturers
Cloud service providers
Providers of telematics user services
Building energy management system operators
Distributed energy resource aggregators
Standards developing organizations
Non-SDO consortia/alliances
Code officials
Government (federal, state, local)
National labs
Those interested in participating are invited to review the panel architecture and schedule of working group calls and sign upfor one or more working groups. The working groups are holding virtual meetings twice a month with subgroups developing content covering specific issues over the next several months. Even those unable to make all the calls can contribute to the document’s development. Public comment on the draft roadmap is targeted for mid-February 2023, and publication of a final roadmap is targeted by mid-May 2023. Participation is open to EV stakeholders that have operations in the United States.
The ANSI EVSP is a consensus-based, cross-sector coordinating body whose objective is to foster coordination and collaboration on standardization matters among public- and private-sector stakeholders to enable the safe, mass deployment of electric vehicles and associated infrastructure in the United States with international coordination, adaptability, and engagement. In the 2011-2014 timeframe, the EVSP developed two versions of a Standardization Roadmap for Electric Vehicles which is available as a historical reference. The current initiative is the result of a June 2021 lab call funding opportunity announced by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO). The lab call included a codes and standards pillar to “identify and address challenges and barriers to the integration of EVs@Scale charging with the grid created by uncoordinated development of codes and standards and the rapid advances in vehicle and charging technologies.” Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) leads the codes and standards pillar of the EVs@Scale lab consortium formed in response, which also includes National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). The EVs@Scale activity also supports federal and state funding associated with deploying EV charging infrastructure nationwide.
There is no fee associated with participating in the EVSP and, ANSI membership, while encouraged, is not required to participate. The DOE VTO/ANL are supporting ANSI’s facilitation of the EVSP roadmapping effort. Sponsorship opportunities (with associated recognition benefits) are available to interested public- and private-sector stakeholders who would like to provide such support. ANSI is a 501c3 not-for-profit membership organization, and all funds are directly applied to help offset ANSI’s costs of administering the EVSP.
“In order to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the codes and standards needed for the scalable deployment of electric vehicles, it is essential that we engage all affected stakeholders. ANSI invites all interested stakeholders to have a seat at the table and participate in this important initiative,” said S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations.
The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). For more information, visit www.ansi.org.
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Jim McCabe | Senior Director, Standards Facilitation | American National Standards Institute
25 West 43 Street, 4th Floor | New York, NY 10036 U.S.A.
The Kiosk Association is evaluating creating a test process for kiosk providers to offer customers where they test for accessibility. Some of the tools that can be learned from are the RNIB Tried and Tested certification. Members such as Storm Interface have products that have achieved certification under the Tried and Tested programme (in deference to UK).
Part of the criteria for the RNIB tests includes the use of “simulators”. Inclusive design means an older person with arthritis can conduct a transaction for example. That is inclusive design.
And while it is probably next to impossible to provide accessibility for all and any disabled, you can at least consider the percentage of audience that will be served (and not served)
Personas — Having a complete set of profiled users is essential
Cambridge persona set
RNIB Criteria
Test criteria for RNIB Tried and Tested
RNIB Tried and Tested certification (previously ” RNIB Approved”) relates only to the accessibility and usability of the product, website or app as assessed using the RNIB criteria set out below:
Websites
We assess against WCAG 2.1 AA standards and also include an assessment with high contrast schemes, as this affects a number of partially sighted people. An assistive technology assessment is then carried out using screen reader and magnification programmes to identify usability issues.
Apps
We carry out an assessment against RNIB’s internal app accessibility and usability guidelines. We use the speech and magnification software available on iOS and Android phones using recent or the latest operating systems.
Products
We carry out an assessment against RNIB’s internal inclusive design guidelines, which cover visual, tactile and audio aspects of the user interface. We use simulation devices such as apps and items from the Inclusive Design Toolkitdeveloped by Cambridge University, as well as the knowledge we have gained from observing blind and partially sighted people use products through our user testing.
All areas
For all areas, we carry out observed user testing once the issues raised in the expert assessment have been addressed. Observed user testing is always carried out with a minimum of 10 blind and partially sighted people.
RNIB uses its best endeavours during the testing to ensure accessibility and usability, but we make no comment on the content or general use of products, websites or apps beyond testing the product against the criteria set out above. Our aim is to assist blind and partially sighted people to identify when a product or service is accessible and usable and enable them to make an informed choice. We bear no liability for any use of the website, app or product or any information contained therein.
Title: Accessibility Guidelines for Self-Service Transaction Machines
Abstract:This rulemaking would amend the Architectural and Transportation Compliance Board’s existing accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), located at 36 CFR part 1191, to include guidelines for the accessibility of fixed self-service transaction machines, self-service kiosks, information transaction machines, and point-of-sale devices. The U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Justice are expected, via separate rulemakings, to adopt these amended guidelines as enforceable standards for devices and equipment covered by the ADA.
Agency: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board(ATBCB)
Priority: Other Significant
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda
Agency Contact: Christopher Kuczynski Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board 1331 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004 Phone:202 272-0042 TDD Phone:202 272-0076 Email: kuczynski@access-board.gov
