Gates alumnus addressses International Standardization Organization meeting

  • September 20, 2011
Gates alumnus addressses International Standardization Organization meeting

Pradipta Biswas gives presentation in China on disabled access to audiovisual material.

A Gates alumnus was part of the British delegation to the International Standardization Organization (ISO)’s meeting in China last week.

Pradipta Biswas took part in the meeting in Shanghai in his capacity as an expert committee member of the British Standardisation Institute. He gave a presentation on behalf of the European Virtual User Modelling and Simulation Cluster of projects to a working group on information technology for learning, education and training and issues of individualised adaptability for groups like those with visual or mobility disabilities.

The VUMS Cluster focus on accessibility to both physical and audiovisual interfaces.The ISO/IEC JTC1 SC36 committee found the VUMS approach can contribute to existing standards and they are looking forward to work with the VUMS cluster.

Pradipta [2006] was recently appointed coordinator of the working group of a UN agency which aims to make audiovisual media accessible to people with disabilities. He is now a research associate in the Engineering Design Centre at Cambridge where he is researching ways of making modern digital devices, particularly interactive systems, accessible to elderly users and people with different ranges of abilities.

He says: “My talk went well and the committee found the VUMS approach interesting and felt it can contribute to existing standards. We are looking forward to working with them in the future. I feel really proud and humble to be able to represent
Britain in such a global arena.”

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