Dispatches From The Internets

Screen Readers support for text level HTML semantics

Steve Faulkner updated his assessment of support for text-level semantics in screen readers and accessibility APIs. He discusses what’s changed in the last 15 years (since his last assessment) and what it means in terms of conformance with respect to accessibility guidelines.

Inclusion is Innovation

Having worked in the D&I space within Microsoft for a few years now, it’s great to see the things we’ve been discussing internally making it out into the world.

It all goes hand-in-hand:

  1. Screen in for diverse perspectives during the interview process.
  2. Foster inclusive teams that value and promote people for not only their productive capacity, but also their unique experiences & perspectives.
  3. Empower everyone to influence product/service design.
  4. Release products that serve everyone because those products were created by people who share lived experiences with everyone.

Científicos del CSIC desarrollan un perro robótico capaz de

I have mixed emotions about this move to repurpose the utterly terrifying Boston Dynamics robots as service robots, but there are some upsides too.

  • Pro: No waste to clean up & dispose of
  • Pro: Can be used by people with allergies
  • Pro: Has no mouth, will never bite
  • Pro: People are less likely to try to pet/distract your service robot
  • Pro: Can likely be trained (or sensor-enabled) to recognize more objects and scenarios than a dog can (or at least the specific breeds we employ as service animals)
  • Pro: Would be of service for someone’s lifetime (and beyond) if maintained properly
  • Pro: Knowledge & personality (if there is one) can be migrated to a new robot if the current one breaks
  • Questionable: Potentially less costly to own, assuming power & maintenance is less than the US$1000-2000/yr it costs to own the average dog
  • Con: Far more expensive upfront
  • Con: Unlikely to be a companion in nearly the same way (though robots with personality is something folks are working on)
  • Con: Not warm or furry

303 Creative LLC v. Elenis is Incredibly Problematic

Pop art style illustration of a white woman holding her hand up to say stop.

Before I get into this, let me start with this preface: I am not a legal expert by any means. I never even watched Law & Order. That said, I am keenly interested in the law and how it relates to bias and discrimination, particularly if that intersects with technology, especially the web. Which brings me to the subject at hand: 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis. I tweeted about this case, which is currently before the Supreme Court of the United States, the other day, but felt like I owed it a lengthier—and perhaps more enduring—discussion. So here goes…