Here is more info about the NCR atm, as found on the company's web site.
kelly
URL: http://www3.ncr.com/product/financial/product/sss/access.htm
ACCESS FOR ALL OVERVIEW
At NCR, our commitment to helping our customers help their customers
is an approach that's built into our business as well as our product
design. NCR's Family of self-service terminals sets new standards in
human factors design and industrial engineering - integrating user
ergonomics with leading edge technology to ensure they're as
comfortable, accessible and as easy to use as is humanly possible.
We've considered all aspects of the interface between man and machine.
From the desire for comfort and privacy to the need for accessibility
and ease of maintenance. We've designed for the needs of everyone from
the tallest to the shortest. And we've worked to fulfil the
expectations of the broadest range of user - from the technologically
inexperienced to the most sophisticated. With the result that NCR's
Self Service Family not only breaks new ground in terms of reliability
and efficiency, it also breaks new barriers in terms of availability,
comfort and ease of use.
In fact NCR has taken a leadership role in setting standards and
creating solutions to provide easy access to Self-service terminals by
all members of our society. It is a program and a philosophy which we
call "Access for All", directed and geared to ensuring accessibility
of self-service transactions by banking customers of varying degrees
of ability. It is not simply a response to legislation it is a genuine
desire to create solutions for accessibility.
Legislation
In the USA formal legislation exists on ATM accessibility under
statute Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility
Guidelines. Due to its comprehensive nature, the ADA has provided
momentum for formal and informal guidelines in other developed
countries e.g. Canadians Standards Association and ATM User Access,
and Australian Standard. Also certain states in the USA have added
some supplementary requirements e.g. California. It is very useful to
have a baseline as in ADA but NCR's philosophy is to develop solutions
which go way beyond legal requirements and serve our customers'
customers with the optimum interface to self-service financial
transactions.
NCR User Interface Design
The NCR Family of Self-Service products has a user interface layout
that can be operated by the majority of users from a single position,
with one hand and with minimal hand and eye movement. The relative
position of the core interface elements (i.e. display, keyboard, and
card reader) and their details are consistent across the family of NCR
terminals, to create a recognisable interface that will require the
minimum of relearning of each new terminal and application
encountered.
Daylight Viewable Display
ATMs for installation into the street have a daylight viewable display
controlled by an ambient light sensor, this adjusts the contrast level
to ensure that the high contrast required for viewability in sunlight
is adjusted for comfortable night-time use.
Colour Touch Screen
The touch screen layout can be designed with large high contrast
buttons or icons which can provide an alternative solution for those
with partial visual impairment or with motor disease. Selection via
large touch areas on the screen may be preferable to some users as an
alternative to keyboard or function key input.
Media Entry Indicators
To minimise the perceived complexity and reduce the visual clutter all
media exits are discreet but with simple detailing to indicate their
position. The inputs are emphasised and are designed to complement the
insertion of different types of media. The leadthrough instructions
shown on the display can be supplemented by flashing light bars
located adjacent to the media inputs. These alert and attract the user
to the next area for insertion of media. These indicators are of
particular assistance to the large population of people with vision
impairment such as cataract or tunnel vision.
Access For The Visually Impaired
Interface
The compact, uncluttered layout of the NCR interface elements is of
particular benefit to visually impaired users, with the simplified
hand movement between keyboard and dispenser enhancing security and
minimising the need to search for currency.
Braille
NCR do offer a Braille keypad as an option. However, our discussions
with the different representative bodies for the visually impaired
have shown that Braille is not a preferred solution due to the
minority of Braille readers (see table). Braille is NOT a requirement
of the ADA. The preference is for a standard keyboard layout with a
raised indicator on the #5 key as is now universal on telephone
keypads.
The horizontal orientation of the keyboard also enables the Braille
feature to be used effectively without putting strain on the user's
wrist.
Note: Braille is read with the sensitive part of the finger, not the
tip and is most effective on a horizontal surface. Braille characters
must comply with standard dimensions and cannot be scaled. Also, as
finger sensitivity is reduced at low temperatures Braille may not be
ideal for Through The Wall ATMs.
Private Voice Assisted Leadthrough
NCR Digital Audio provides the ability to include up to 999 messages
of voice leadthrough to guide users through a transaction. For those
with impaired vision, Private audio leadthrough instructions can be
provided through a standard personal stereo headset (not telephone
style handset, so as to leave the user's hands free) for those with
impaired vision. The ATM could be informed of the users special
requirements by coding on the card. The volume level of the audio
messages can be controlled by the user via the keyboard (a typical
application will require the user to press "1" for softer and "3" for
louder).
Audio Echo
Voice feedback of account balance, amount requested etc. can also be
made available through the Audio Leadthrough feature. Keyboard echo
confirms key input to the visually impaired user providing additional
confidence when using the terminal. However, to retain security, no
audio feedback would be available on PIN entry.
Tactile Keyboard
The NCR ATM keyboard was designed specifically to cope with the
rigours of self-service use and yet provide optimum usability.
Development of the keyboard based on user studies has taken place and
further enhancements have been integrated into a new design in the
following ways:-
* Protruding Keytips - which enable the visually impaired user to
feel the edge of individual keys and so determine the end of one
key and the start of another.
* Full travel, positive action - the increased movement of the key
more readily confirms to the user that the key has been pressed
firmly enough. The actuation force required to press the key has
also been greatly reduced.
* Pip on #5 key - locates the centre of the keyboard for the
visually impaired user, in line with current telephone keypad
standards.
* Increased Character Size - gives the partially sighted a better
chance of reading the keyboard legends.
* Function Keys Offset From Numeric keys - gives greater definition
to the numeric area of the keyboard by separating it from the
function key area.
FDK Mapping
With FDK (Function Display Key) Mapping, the function keys, that are
at the side of the ATM display, are mapped down to the 16-key keyboard
by software. This means that the user can perform the whole
transaction from the 16-key keyboard, hence, FDK Mapping removes the
need for the visually impaired user to search around the fascia for
function keys.
Revised: Tuesday, 29-Jul-97 07:41:56 EDT
URL: http://www.ncr.com/product/financial/product/sss/access.htm
© 1998 NCR Corporation. All rights reserved.
Copyright, Trademarks & Privacy Policy
VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
To join or leave the list, send a message to
[log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply type
"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html
|
