---
title: An Ally for Access
date: 2023-09-15T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/an-ally-for-access"
section: Articles
---
# An Ally for Access

*September 15, 2023* — by [Karen Shih ’09](/author/karen-shih)


> Palm-sized Robot Navigates Touchscreens for Visually Impaired Users

*I Stock 1094971068 1920x1080 — As touchscreens proliferate in daily life, from coffee shops to airports, people who are blind or visually impaired are often unable to access important digital information. UMD researchers have developed a new robot that could help bridge the gap.*

Having to tap-tap-tap away to order a sandwich or check bags at a touchscreen kiosk can be annoying. For those who are blind or visually impaired, it can be excruciating.

Soon, instead of friends, family or even strangers bridging this technological chasm, a palm-sized portable robot could help. [Toucha11y](http://smartlab.cs.umd.edu/publication/toucha11y), created by a team including doctoral student Jiasheng Li and computer science Assistant Professor Huaishu Peng, can stick to and press buttons on a touchscreen, communicating with a user’s phone and allowing them to use accessibility features—like voiceover and zoom—to read the options.


*Toucha11y robot*



**Sidebar note:**

This story is featured in the Fall 2023 issue of *Terp* magazine. Find all the stories online at [terp.umd.edu](https://terp.umd.edu/).





**Topics:** [Research](https://today.umd.edu/tags/research)


**Tags:** [Computer Science](https://today.umd.edu/topic/computer-science), [Disability and Accessibility](https://today.umd.edu/topic/disability-and-accessibility), [Grand Challenges](https://today.umd.edu/topic/grand-challenges), [Research](https://today.umd.edu/topic/research)


**Units:** [College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-computer-mathematical-and-natural-sciences)