title: computer enabled practice for disabled architects presented by: rasha ahmed khazback by: b....

Title: Computer Enabled Practice For Disabled ArchitectsTitle: Computer Enabled Practice For Disabled Architects

Presented By:Presented By:

Rasha Ahmed KhazbackRasha Ahmed Khazback

By: B. J. NovitskiBy: B. J. Novitski

Internet Link: Internet Link: http://www.architectureweek.com/articles/tools_articles.htmlhttp://www.architectureweek.com/articles/tools_articles.html

Topic Number: 171Topic Number: 171

Date: December 2000Date: December 2000

Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects Computer-Enabled Practice for Disabled Architects

The Idea Popped Up When Joseph Del Vecchio graduated from the The Idea Popped Up When Joseph Del Vecchio graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in the mid-1980s, was blocked from Rhode Island School of Design in the mid-1980s, was blocked from pursuing a routine architectural internship.pursuing a routine architectural internship.

Initiation Of The IdeaInitiation Of The Idea

Problems Facing Him As A Disabled Architect Can Be Problems Facing Him As A Disabled Architect Can Be Summed Up In The FollowingSummed Up In The Following

He would have been unable to reach over the large drafting boards.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 Simple tasks, like getting in a car and driving to a meeting, were tiring and time-consuming.tiring and time-consuming.

He would not have been able to work the grueling hours normally He would not have been able to work the grueling hours normally expected of interns.expected of interns.


Thinking Of A SolutionThinking Of A Solution He and his wife, also an architect-intern, established a home-based He and his wife, also an architect-intern, established a home-based

business with a licensed architect and began to explore ways that business with a licensed architect and began to explore ways that emerging computer technologies could help them compete with emerging computer technologies could help them compete with more established firms. more established firms.

They adopted Sonata, an early 3D parametric building modeler They adopted Sonata, an early 3D parametric building modeler developed in Europe.developed in Europe.

the modeler could automatically generate 2D drawings, the software the modeler could automatically generate 2D drawings, the software greatly reduced the amount of time needed for drafting. greatly reduced the amount of time needed for drafting.

The Del Vecchios were also early experimenters with virtual reality The Del Vecchios were also early experimenters with virtual reality modeling language (VRML) 3D modeling. modeling language (VRML) 3D modeling.

They can quickly produce models of designs-in-progress, send them They can quickly produce models of designs-in-progress, send them to clients over the Internet.to clients over the Internet.

They will begin using digital photography in construction administration.


Applying Lessons LearnedApplying 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, Del Vecchio explains: "If you put octagons together in a finite space, you produce more usable space than from squares. The spaces you produce more usable space than from squares. The spaces between the octagons are good for storage and circulation. Overall, between the octagons are good for storage and circulation. Overall, the space becomes 25 to 30 percent more efficient. the space becomes 25 to 30 percent more efficient.


Applying Lessons LearnedApplying Lessons Learned

Joseph Del Vecchio has observed Joseph Del Vecchio has observed how people move through a spacehow people move through a space—whether on foot or in a wheelchair—whether on foot or in a wheelchair—and designs angular pathways to —and designs angular pathways to increase spatial efficiency.increase spatial efficiency.


Another Successful But Different CaseAnother Successful But Different Case

Hearing-impaired architect Robert Nichols notes that too many Hearing-impaired architect Robert Nichols notes that too many architects believe that accommodating wheelchairs is all there is to architects believe that accommodating wheelchairs is all there is to providing accessibility. However the simple yet often overlooked providing accessibility. However the simple yet often overlooked installation of teletype-equipped telephones and captioned public installation of teletype-equipped telephones and captioned public address systems can go far to assisting deaf people in public address systems can go far to assisting deaf people in public spaces. spaces.

In recent years his ability to communicate with anyone has been In recent years his ability to communicate with anyone has been tremendously boosted by the advent of nearly universal electronic tremendously boosted by the advent of nearly universal electronic mail. mail.


Starting Out the Hard WayStarting Out the Hard Way

Professor Jeffrey Burnett began in the early 1980s to adapt Professor Jeffrey Burnett began in the early 1980s to adapt computer equipment for quadriplegic architects.computer equipment for quadriplegic architects.

He outfitted them with then-state-of-the-art PCs and cobbled He outfitted them with then-state-of-the-art PCs and cobbled together head-mounted pointing devices to control the screen together head-mounted pointing devices to control the screen cursor. cursor.

He programmed some voice-recognition capabilities to operate CAD He programmed some voice-recognition capabilities to operate CAD systems and even experimented with robotic arms to handle floppy systems and even experimented with robotic arms to handle floppy disks. disks.


The first quadriplegic design professional Burnett outfitted was The first quadriplegic design professional Burnett outfitted was architect John Pekruhn.architect John Pekruhn.

When working in the office, he had a reflector on the nose bridge of When working in the office, he had a reflector on the nose bridge of his glasses, which communicated with a head mouse detector on his glasses, which communicated with a head mouse detector on top of his monitor and allowed him to steer the cursor with head top of his monitor and allowed him to steer the cursor with head movements. movements.

Starting Out the Hard WayStarting 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.


Recent Adaptive InnovationsRecent Adaptive Innovations

several technological improvements have come to the aid of limited-several technological improvements have come to the aid of limited-mobility architects including more powerful computer processors, mobility architects including more powerful computer processors, higher-capacity yet cheaper mass-storage units, wireless higher-capacity yet cheaper mass-storage units, wireless communications bringing electronic mail to the wheelchair-mounted communications bringing electronic mail to the wheelchair-mounted laptop, and more standardized adaptive peripheral devices. laptop, and more standardized adaptive peripheral devices.

Examples Of Peripheral DevicesExamples Of Peripheral Devices Single-handed keyboards: Single-handed keyboards:

The The BAT Personal KeyboardBAT Personal Keyboard, , from replaces a full-size computer keyboard from replaces a full-size computer keyboard and is operated with one hand. Letters and and is operated with one hand. Letters and numbers are typed by pressing easy-to-learn numbers are typed by pressing easy-to-learn combinations of buttons, or "chords." combinations of buttons, or "chords."

Lightweight headset pointers.Lightweight headset pointers. Trackballs to replace mice.Trackballs to replace mice.


Empowering the Spoken WordEmpowering the Spoken Word

For those with limited use of their hands, taking notes at a meeting For those with limited use of their hands, taking notes at a meeting and typing on a computer keyboard can be difficult or impossible. and typing on a computer keyboard can be difficult or impossible.

Now speech recognition systems are Now speech recognition systems are taking advantage of today's higher taking advantage of today's higher computing power, and they can computing power, and they can convert naturally spoken speech into convert naturally spoken speech into nearly error-free word-processed text. nearly error-free word-processed text. The The Dragon Naturally Mobile recorder 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.


Hand Mobility DisabilityHand Mobility Disability Users with no hand mobility can use HeadMaster. These devices Users with no hand mobility can use HeadMaster. These devices

can replace the usual manual methods of interacting with computer-can replace the usual manual methods of interacting with computer-aided design systems. aided design systems.

The Headmaster, is a wireless The Headmaster, is a wireless infrared mouse emulator that infrared mouse emulator that moves a screen cursor in moves a screen cursor in response to head movements. response to head movements. In conjunction with a sip-puff In conjunction with a sip-puff switch to produce "mouse switch to produce "mouse clicks," it supports hands-off clicks," it supports hands-off computer operation. computer operation.

For architects with a small For architects with a small degree of manual dexterity, degree of manual dexterity, there is an array of joysticks there is an array of joysticks and trackballs that are simpler and trackballs that are simpler to use than mice. to use than mice.


Jotto Desks For Wheelchair UsersJotto Desks For Wheelchair Users

Jotto Desks, or mounting devices that can turn a wheelchair into a Jotto Desks, or mounting devices that can turn a wheelchair into a mobile office. These are, in effect, desk surfaces on which laptops, mobile office. These are, in effect, desk surfaces on which laptops, cell phones, and other equipment can be mounted with industrial-cell phones, and other equipment can be mounted with industrial-grade Velcro. The wheelchair user can swing the desk to one side grade Velcro. The wheelchair user can swing the desk to one side when moving in and out of the chair. when moving in and out of the chair.

The Jotto Desk, from The Jotto Desk, from Assembled Products Assembled Products Corporation, is an adjustable Corporation, is an adjustable work surface for mounting work surface for mounting laptop computers, cellular laptop computers, cellular telephones, and other telephones, and other equipment for the wheelchair equipment for the wheelchair office. office.


ConclusionConclusion

Thanks to adaptive technologies and new efforts to encourage Thanks to adaptive technologies and new efforts to encourage disabled young people to join the design professions.disabled young people to join the design professions.

Besides this there is the conviction that disabled architects are Besides this there is the conviction that disabled architects are more sensitive and creative designers of universally designed more sensitive and creative designers of universally designed environments. environments.

They also tend to be skilled and experienced problem solvers. The They also tend to be skilled and experienced problem solvers. The faster they can join the profession and raise the awareness of the faster they can join the profession and raise the awareness of the rest of us, the sooner the built environment will become universally rest of us, the sooner the built environment will become universally accessible. accessible.

title: computer enabled practice for disabled architects presented by: rasha ahmed khazback by: b....

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