Glossary

Search results

Cursor Control(also: Pointer Control, Cursor Navigation)

The ability to direct and position an on-screen cursor or pointer using an input device such as a mouse, trackball, touchpad, joystick, or eye tracker. Cursor control is a fundamental requirement for interacting with graphical user interfaces and involves both gross movements…

Cursor Deviation(also: Cursor Drift, Path Deviation)

The difference between the actual path taken by a cursor and the ideal straight-line path between the starting point and the target. Cursor deviation is a key performance metric in evaluating alternative input devices such as head controls, eye trackers, and adapted mice. Higher…

Cursor Freeze(also: Pointer Freeze, Steady Clicks)

An assistive technology technique that locks the cursor position in place during mouse button clicks, preventing the cursor from moving between the press and release of the button. This addresses a common source of errors for users with motor impairments who may involuntarily…

Cursor Locator(also: Pointer Locator, Cursor Finder, Find My Cursor)

A software utility that helps users find the position of their mouse pointer on screen when it has been lost from view. Cursor locators typically activate through a keyboard shortcut or by detecting pointer behavior such as rapid shaking, and then draw attention to the pointer's…

Cursor Movement(also: Cursor Navigation, Pointer Movement, Mouse Movement)

The process of controlling the position of a pointer or cursor on screen using an input device such as a mouse, trackpad, or joystick. Cursor movement efficiency is a key metric in accessibility research, measured through movement time, velocity, and path directness. Users with…

Cursor Tethering(also: Cursor Sync, Cursor Following)

A collaborative editing feature that automatically synchronizes one user's cursor position to match another user's cursor location in a shared document or code file. Unlike visual Follow mode (which syncs the viewport but not the actual cursor), cursor tethering moves the…

Customizability(also: Customization, Personalization)

The ability for users to modify and configure a system's interface, interaction methods, and behavior to match their individual needs and preferences. In accessibility contexts, customizability is a core design principle that acknowledges the diversity of disabled users'…

Customizable Captioning(also: Personalized Captions, Adaptive Captioning)

Captioning systems that allow users to modify how captions are displayed, including visual styling, content detail, and the representation of paralinguistic speech features such as emotion, loudness, and pitch. Unlike standard closed captions that offer only basic font and size…

Customizable Interface(also: Configurable Interface, User-Customizable UI)

A user interface that allows individuals to modify its appearance, behavior, or content display according to their preferences and needs. In accessibility contexts, customizable interfaces enable users to adjust parameters like font size, color scheme, content density, filtering…

Customization(also: User Customization)

Customization is the practice of allowing users to adapt a system's behaviour, output, or presentation to match their individual goals, preferences, and context. In accessibility, customization is essential because disability is heterogeneous: users of screen readers, AI…

Customization Paradox(also: Paradox of Choice in Customization)

The phenomenon where providing more customization options to reduce barriers paradoxically creates new barriers through increased cognitive load, decision fatigue, and distraction from the customization interface itself. The customization paradox is particularly acute for ADHD…

Cutaneous Perception(also: Cutaneous Sense, Cutaneous Feedback, Tactile Perception)

The sensory experience derived from receptors beneath the surface of the skin that respond to temperature, pain, and pressure. In the context of assistive technology, cutaneous perception enables users to detect surface textures, raised patterns, and embossed details through…

Cyber Crumb(also: Digital Crumb, Electronic Breadcrumb)

A concept in accessible wayfinding where tiny, inexpensive solar-powered digital chips are placed along building walkways like a trail of breadcrumbs, storing location-specific information that can be wirelessly transmitted to assistive devices. Developed by David Ross and…

CyberGlove(also: CyberGlove II)

A wearable motion-capture device in the form of a lightweight, elastic glove instrumented with bend sensors that measure the angles of finger joints during hand movement. CyberGloves are widely used in sign language research, virtual reality, and rehabilitation to record…

Cybersickness(also: VR Sickness, Simulator Sickness, Virtual Reality Motion Sickness)

A form of motion sickness experienced during virtual reality use, characterized by symptoms including nausea, disorientation, dizziness, eye strain, and general discomfort. Cybersickness occurs due to sensory conflicts between what the visual system perceives (movement in the…

Cyborg(also: Cybernetic Organism)

A being that integrates both organic and technological components, extending human capabilities through mechanical or digital augmentation. In disability studies and accessibility research, the cyborg concept has been applied to understand how people with disabilities who use…

Cyborg Theory(also: Cyborg Manifesto)

A theoretical lens originating in Donna Haraway’s 1985 "A Cyborg Manifesto" that views technology as an integrated extension of human cognitive and bodily capabilities rather than as a separate tool. In disability and neurodiversity studies, cyborg theory reframes assistive…

Cymatics

The study of visible patterns and shapes created when sound vibrations pass through physical media such as water, sand, or metal plates. Cymatic patterns are deterministic — the same frequency produces the same pattern — creating a predictable visual representation of sound. In…

Cypriot Sign Language(also: CSL)

The sign language used by the Deaf community in Cyprus, distinct from other sign languages such as American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL), or Greek Sign Language. Like all natural sign languages, Cypriot Sign Language has its own grammar, vocabulary, and…