Glossary

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MAGic

A screen magnification software program developed by Freedom Scientific that enlarges on-screen content and enhances visibility for people with low vision. MAGic can magnify the screen up to 36x, offers multiple viewing modes (full screen, lens, split screen), includes color…

MIDI Controller(also: MIDI Input Device)

A hardware device that generates MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) messages to control music software or sound modules without being a traditional musical instrument. MIDI controllers include keyboards, drum pads, wind controllers, joysticks, and purpose-built…

Machine Embroidery(also: Computerized Embroidery, Automated Embroidery)

A textile production method using computer-controlled embroidery machines to stitch patterns onto fabric based on digital design files. Machine embroidery can produce a wide variety of stitch types, textures, and densities, making it a promising medium for creating tactile…

Magnetic Prototyping

A prototyping technique that uses magnetic elements on magnetic boards to create quickly reconfigurable physical designs. In accessible design for blind users, magnetic prototyping is particularly effective because elements snap into place with satisfying tactile feedback, can…

Magnification(also: Screen Magnification, Visual Magnification)

The enlargement of visual content to make it more readable for people with low vision. Magnification can be achieved through optical means (magnifying glasses, telescope magnifiers), electronic means (screen magnifiers, CCTV), or digital means (software zoom, pinch-to-zoom).…

Magnification Factor(also: Zoom Level, Magnification Level, Zoom Factor)

The ratio by which screen content is enlarged when using a screen magnifier. A magnification factor of 2x means the content appears twice its original size, but only one quarter of the original screen area is visible at any given time. Choosing an appropriate magnification…

Magnification inset(also: Magnified inset view, Zoom inset)

A user interface element that displays a magnified view of a specific region of content within a smaller window overlaid on the original view. Unlike full-screen magnification, an inset preserves the surrounding context while enlarging the area of interest. For low-vision users,…

Makers Making Change(also: MMC)

Makers Making Change is a Canadian non-profit program (part of the Neil Squire Society) that connects volunteer makers with people with disabilities to design, 3D-print, and distribute low-cost, open-source assistive technology. It hosts a library of freely downloadable AT…

Makerspace(also: Fab Lab, Fabrication Laboratory, Hackerspace)

A collaborative workspace equipped with tools and technology for designing and fabricating physical objects, typically including 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, and electronics workbenches. University and community makerspaces have become important sites for assistive…

Makey Makey

A small electronic invention kit that uses alligator clips to connect everyday conductive objects — fruit, foil, playdough, drawn pencil lines — to a computer, which sees them as keyboard presses or mouse clicks. Created by Jay Silver and Eric Rosenbaum at the MIT Media Lab,…

Making(also: Maker Movement, Maker Culture)

Making refers to the practice of creating, building, or fabricating physical objects, often using tools like 3D printers, laser cutters, and electronics. In accessibility contexts, making encompasses both creating accessible maker tools and developing do-it-yourself assistive…

Manipulative(also: Math Manipulative, Educational Manipulative, Tactile Manipulative)

A physical object used in education to help students learn abstract concepts through hands-on exploration and manipulation. In mathematics, common manipulatives include blocks, counters, fraction tiles, and geometric shapes. For students who are blind or have low vision,…

Manual Wheelchair(also: Self-propelled wheelchair)

A wheelchair propelled by the user pushing on handrims attached to the rear wheels, or by an attendant pushing from behind. Manual wheelchairs are the most common type of wheelchair used for personal mobility and become deeply integrated into users' identities and daily…

Mapping by Demonstration

A personalisation technique for gestural and sensor-based interfaces in which the system learns the relationship between user input (movement, breath, gaze) and output (sound, visuals, commands) from examples the user provides, rather than from designer-authored rules. The…

Markov Decision Process(also: MDP)

A mathematical framework for modelling decision-making in situations where outcomes are partly random and partly under the control of a decision-maker. In accessibility and assistive technology, Markov decision processes and their extension, partially observable Markov decision…

Markov Logic Networks(also: MLN, MLNs)

A machine learning framework that combines first-order logic with probabilistic graphical models to handle uncertainty in rule-based reasoning. In assistive technology contexts, MLNs enable context-aware systems to make intelligent decisions by weighing multiple factors—such as…

Matching Person and Technology(also: MPT Model)

A framework for understanding assistive technology adoption that considers the match between a person's characteristics (preferences, needs, lifestyle), the environmental context, and the technology's features. Developed by Marcia Scherer, the MPT model frames AT adoption as a…

Material Experience(also: Material Aesthetics, Material Interaction)

The multidimensional way people perceive, interpret, and emotionally respond to the physical materials of objects they interact with. The materials experience framework categorizes these experiences into four levels: sensorial (immediate physical sensations from touching,…

Math-to-Speech(also: Mathematical Speech Generation, Math Speech)

The process of converting mathematical notation into spoken language that can be rendered by text-to-speech engines or read aloud by screen readers. Math-to-speech is significantly more complex than reading ordinary text because mathematical expressions are two-dimensional,…

MathJax

An open-source JavaScript display engine that renders mathematical notation written in LaTeX, MathML, or AsciiMath in web browsers. MathJax is significant for accessibility because it produces output that can be read by screen readers, supports keyboard navigation of…

MathPlayer

A software plugin developed by Design Science that enables the rendering and text-to-speech reading of mathematical expressions encoded in MathML within web browsers and other applications. MathPlayer works with screen readers and text-to-speech tools like Read & Write Gold to…

MathSpeak(also: MathSpeak Rules)

A set of rules and conventions for verbally describing mathematical notation in a standardized, unambiguous way that can be understood by people who cannot see the visual representation of formulas. MathSpeak provides consistent patterns for reading mathematical expressions…

Meal Assistance Technology(also: Dining Assistance Technology, Food Accessibility Technology)

Assistive technologies designed to help people with disabilities identify, locate, and consume food independently during mealtimes. For people with visual impairments, these systems may use computer vision to recognize dishes, voice interfaces to provide information about food…

MediaPipe

An open-source framework by Google for building multimodal machine learning pipelines, commonly used for real-time face, hand, and body tracking. In accessibility applications, MediaPipe Holistic extracts 3D landmarks from the user's body and hands via webcam, while MediaPipe…

Medical Maker(also: Clinician-Maker)

A healthcare professional who also engages in fabrication and making activities, bridging the gap between clinical expertise and maker culture. Medical makers combine knowledge of patient safety, rehabilitation, and medical requirements with hands-on skills in 3D printing,…

Medical Making(also: Clinical Making)

The practice of clinicians — particularly occupational therapists, physical therapists, and physicians — creating custom assistive devices for their patients using digital fabrication tools such as 3D printers and CAD software. Medical making extends traditional splinting and…

Medical model of disability(also: Medical model)

A framework that views disability as a problem residing in the individual, caused by disease, trauma, or health condition, and requiring medical intervention to "fix" the person. In this model, a blind person is defined by their lack of sight, and solutions focus on treating or…

Medicalised Aesthetic(also: Medical Model Design, Clinical Aesthetic)

A design approach in assistive technology that prioritises clinical functionality over personal style, resulting in devices that visually signal disability through neutral, institutional-looking form factors such as plain plastic casings and uniform designs. Research with AAC…

Medication Adherence(also: Treatment Adherence, Medication Compliance)

Medication adherence is the degree to which a patient takes medication as prescribed — at the correct dose, frequency, and duration. It is a significant challenge in chronic disease management, with non-adherence rates estimated at 50% globally. Poor adherence contributes to…

Memory Aid(also: Memory Wallet, Memory Book, External Memory Aid)

A tool or device that supports memory function by providing external cues, reminders, or stored information that a person can reference. For people with dementia or other cognitive impairments, memory aids may include wallets with photos and captions, communication boards,…

Memory Cue(also: Memory Prompt, Recall Cue, Retrieval Cue)

Any stimulus — such as a photograph, sound, object, location, or verbal prompt — that triggers the recollection of a past experience or piece of information. In assistive technology for people with episodic memory impairment, memory cues are used to help individuals recall…

Mercator

A research screen reader system developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology by W. Keith Edwards and Elizabeth Mynatt for the X Window System on Unix workstations. Mercator pioneered the approach of providing access to graphical user interfaces at the semantic level —…

Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses(also: Ray-Ban Meta, Meta Smart Glasses)

Consumer smart glasses produced through a partnership between Meta and Ray-Ban that integrate cameras, speakers, and microphones into a conventional eyewear form factor. When paired with Meta's Live AI feature, these glasses enable hands-free, voice-activated interaction with…

Metaverse

The metaverse refers to a persistent, interconnected network of virtual and mixed-reality spaces where users can interact, collaborate, and engage with digital content and each other in real time. It extends XR concepts — virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality —…

Micro Assistive Technology(also: Micro-AT, Accessibility Plugins)

Small, single-feature assistive technology components that address specific accessibility needs, analogous to browser plugins or app add-ons in mainstream software. Unlike full assistive technology suites, micro-AT focuses on individual enhancements that can be developed by…

Micro-Prompting(also: Step Prompting, Task Segmentation)

An assistive technology approach that breaks complex multi-step tasks into individual sub-steps, presenting each step one at a time to guide users through completion. Originally developed to support people with acquired brain injury and dementia in daily activities like meal…

Microcapsule Paper(also: Swell Paper, Capsule Paper, Swell Touch Paper)

A specialized paper used to create raised tactile graphics, containing heat-sensitive microcapsules of alcohol embedded in its surface. When black carbon-based ink is printed on the paper and then passed through a heat fuser, the microcapsules beneath the dark areas expand and…

Microsoft Active Accessibility(also: MSAA, Active Accessibility)

Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) is an accessibility API introduced by Microsoft in 1997 that enables assistive technologies such as screen readers to interact with user interface elements in Windows applications. MSAA provides a standardized way for applications to expose…

Microsoft Copilot(also: Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot in Excel)

Microsoft Copilot is a family of generative AI assistants integrated into Microsoft 365 applications including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, as well as GitHub and Windows. In Excel and Google Sheets-style workflows, Copilot lets users describe spreadsheet…

Microsoft HoloLens(also: HoloLens, HoloLens 2)

A self-contained, optical see-through mixed reality headset developed by Microsoft that overlays holographic content onto the real world. The HoloLens 2 features hand and eye tracking, spatial mapping, and gesture-based interaction, making it suitable for applications in…

Microsoft Kinect(also: Kinect, Kinect sensor)

A motion-sensing device that captures RGB video, depth images, and skeletal tracking data simultaneously. Originally developed for gaming, the Kinect became widely adopted in accessibility research due to its affordable price point (compared to laboratory equipment) and ability…

Microsoft Soundscape(also: Soundscape)

Microsoft Soundscape was an accessible navigation app developed by Microsoft Research that used spatialized 3D audio to help blind and low-vision users build awareness of their surroundings. Rather than providing turn-by-turn directions, Soundscape placed virtual audio beacons…

Microswitch(also: Micro-switch, Assistive Switch)

A small, sensitive switch used in assistive technology that can be activated by minimal physical movement such as a light touch, head turn, or muscle contraction. Microswitches are used to provide environmental control and communication access for people with severe motor…

Mid-Air Ultrasound Haptics(also: Ultrasound Haptics, Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display, AUTD)

A non-contact haptic technology that uses phased arrays of ultrasonic transducers to focus acoustic radiation pressure onto a user's skin, producing tactile sensations in mid-air without any worn or held device. By modulating the intensity, focal-point location, and trajectory…

Midas Touch Effect(also: Midas Touch Problem)

An interaction design challenge in touch-based and gesture-based interfaces where the system cannot distinguish between intentional activation commands and incidental or exploratory touches. Named after the mythological King Midas whose touch turned everything to gold, the…

Midas Touch Problem(also: Midas Touch, Gaze Cursor Problem)

A fundamental challenge in eye-gaze interaction where every object a user looks at becomes unintentionally selected, because the eyes serve dual purposes: looking at objects to perceive them and looking at objects to interact with them. Named after King Midas who turned…

Middleware

Software that acts as an intermediary layer between different applications, services, or components, enabling them to communicate and share data despite being built with different technologies, protocols, or programming languages. In the context of accessibility, middleware is…

Minor Resistance(also: Everyday Resistance)

A concept describing the everyday, often subtle strategies that people use to exercise agency and push back against power structures that constrain their choices, particularly in the context of assistive technology adoption. Drawing from James C. Scott's theory of "weapons of…

Mispronunciation Detection(also: Pronunciation Error Detection, Mispronunciation Diagnosis)

Mispronunciation detection is the automated process of identifying errors in a speaker's pronunciation by comparing their speech production against a target or expected utterance. In assistive technology and speech training systems, mispronunciation detection goes beyond simple…

Mixed-Initiative Design(also: Mixed-Initiative Interaction)

An interaction design approach in which both the system and the user can take initiative in directing the flow of interaction, rather than one party being entirely in control. In accessibility contexts, mixed-initiative design is used to balance automated system actions (such as…