2. Title: Computer Enabled Practice For Disabled Architects Presented By: Rasha Ahmed Khazback By: B. J. Novitski Internet Link: http://www.architectureweek.com/articles/tools_articles.html http://www.architectureweek.com/articles/tools_articles.html Topic Number: 171 Date: December 2000

3. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects  The Idea Popped Up When Joseph Del Vecchio graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in the mid-1980s, was blocked from pursuing a routine architectural internship. Initiation Of The Idea Problems Facing Him As A Disabled Architect Can Be Summed Up In The Following  He would have been unable to reach over the large drafting boards.  Simple tasks, like getting in a car and driving to a meeting, were tiring and time-consuming.  He would not have been able to work the grueling hours normally expected of interns.

4. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects Thinking Of A Solution  He and his wife, also an architect-intern, established a home-based business with a licensed architect and began to explore ways that emerging computer technologies could help them compete with more established firms.  They adopted Sonata, an early 3D parametric building modeler developed in Europe.  the modeler could automatically generate 2D drawings, the software greatly reduced the amount of time needed for drafting.  The Del Vecchios were also early experimenters with virtual reality modeling language (VRML) 3D modeling.  They can quickly produce models of designs-in-progress, send them to clients over the Internet.   They will begin using digital photography in construction administration.

5. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects Applying Lessons Learned   Del Vecchio observed that, whether walking or wheeling, people don't make sharp turns to navigate the corners of square rooms. so he cut the corners out of rooms.  Del Vecchio explains: "If you put octagons together in a finite space, you produce more usable space than from squares. The spaces between the octagons are good for storage and circulation. Overall, the space becomes 25 to 30 percent more efficient.

6. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects Applying Lessons Learned  J J J Joseph Del Vecchio has observed how people move through a space— whether on foot or in a wheelchair— and designs angular pathways to increase spatial efficiency.

7. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects Another Successful But Different Case  Hearing-impaired architect Robert Nichols notes that too many architects believe that accommodating wheelchairs is all there is to providing accessibility. However the simple yet often overlooked installation of teletype-equipped telephones and captioned public address systems can go far to assisting deaf people in public spaces.  In recent years his ability to communicate with anyone has been tremendously boosted by the advent of nearly universal electronic mail.

8. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects Starting Out the Hard Way PPPProfessor Jeffrey Burnett began in the early 1980s to adapt computer equipment for quadriplegic architects. HHHHe outfitted them with then-state-of-the-art PCs and cobbled together head-mounted pointing devices to control the screen cursor. HHHHe programmed some voice-recognition capabilities to operate CAD systems and even experimented with robotic arms to handle floppy disks.

9. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects  The first quadriplegic design professional Burnett outfitted was architect John Pekruhn.  When working in the office, he had a reflector on the nose bridge of his glasses, which communicated with a head mouse detector on top of his monitor and allowed him to steer the cursor with head movements. Starting Out the Hard Way  A reflector on his glasses allowed him to steer the screen cursor with head movements, and his telephone/headset transmitted commands to speech-recognition software.

10. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects Recent Adaptive Innovations  several technological improvements have come to the aid of limited- mobility architects including more powerful computer processors, higher-capacity yet cheaper mass-storage units, wireless communications bringing electronic mail to the wheelchair-mounted laptop, and more standardized adaptive peripheral devices. Examples Of Peripheral Devices SSSSingle-handed keyboards: The B B B B B AAAA TTTT P P P P eeee rrrr ssss oooo nnnn aaaa llll K K K K eeee yyyy bbbb oooo aaaa rrrr dddd, from replaces a full-size computer keyboard and is operated with one hand. Letters and numbers are typed by pressing easy-to-learn combinations of buttons, or "chords." LLLLightweight headset pointers. TTTTrackballs to replace mice.

11. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects Empowering the Spoken Word  For those with limited use of their hands, taking notes at a meeting and typing on a computer keyboard can be difficult or impossible.  N N N Now speech recognition systems are taking advantage of today's higher computing power, and they can convert naturally spoken speech into nearly error-free word-processed text.  T T T The D D D D D rrrr aaaa gggg oooo nnnn N N N N aaaa tttt uuuu rrrr aaaa llll llll yyyy M M M M oooo bbbb iiii llll eeeerecorder takes dictation and stores the spoken word on removable memory cards. Later, when connected to a PC, the recorder transmits the speech files, and Dragon software converts them to word-processed text.

12. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects Hand Mobility Disability  Users with no hand mobility can use HeadMaster. These devices can replace the usual manual methods of interacting with computer- aided design systems. TTTThe Headmaster, is a wireless infrared mouse emulator that moves a screen cursor in response to head movements. In conjunction with a sip-puff switch to produce "mouse clicks," it supports hands-off computer operation. FFFFor architects with a small degree of manual dexterity, there is an array of joysticks and trackballs that are simpler to use than mice.

13. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects Jotto Desks For Wheelchair Users  Jotto Desks, or mounting devices that can turn a wheelchair into a mobile office. These are, in effect, desk surfaces on which laptops, cell phones, and other equipment can be mounted with industrial- grade Velcro. The wheelchair user can swing the desk to one side when moving in and out of the chair. TTTThe Jotto Desk, from Assembled Products Corporation, is an adjustable work surface for mounting laptop computers, cellular telephones, and other equipment for the wheelchair office.

14. Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects Conclusion  Thanks to adaptive technologies and new efforts to encourage disabled young people to join the design professions.  Besides this there is the conviction that disabled architects are more sensitive and creative designers of universally designed environments.  They also tend to be skilled and experienced problem solvers. The faster they can join the profession and raise the awareness of the rest of us, the sooner the built environment will become universally accessible.