Chieko asakawa biography of martin tn

Chieko Asakawa invented the Home Page Reader HPR , the first practical voice browser to provide effective Internet access for blind and visually impaired computer users.

Dr. Chieko Asakawa is an IBM

HPR enabled users to independently navigate the Web, and it could speak text, frames, images and text links; describe graphical elements like clickable maps; allow users to understand complex tables, such as television listings; and differentiate content through devices like reading hyperlinks in a female voice and plain text in a male voice.

Blind since the age of 14, her experience informs her work, which includes a digital system to input and edit Braille; a network allowing Braille libraries to upload documents and books; aDesigner, a disability simulator enabling sighted Web developers to mimic the experience of blind users; and most recently, the NavCog project, a collaboration between IBM Research and Carnegie Mellon University to use artificial intelligence, robotics, physical-positioning sensors and computer-aided vision to supply real-world accessibility through smartphone apps.

She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Achievement Award from the Society of Women Engineers, and holds more than 20 patents. Plan Your Visit Exhibits. Patent No. Born Nov. Open Video. Open Image. Related Inductees. Previous Slide Next Slide. Find an Inductee.