Advances

Advances gives a glimpse of the many significant research projects at the university. Tell us about your discoveries. E-mail: wisweek@news.wisc.edu.

Trace Center assists firm in making accessible door entry
The Trace Research and Development Center has contributed to the development of the nation’s first cross-disability accessible door entry system.

Trace assisted Viking Electronics of Hudson, Wis., with accessibility options and interface design of its AES-2000 door entry systems for multi-family residential and commercial buildings.

About 54 million Americans have some type of disability, and this system can be used by a wide range of people, including those who are aging; those who are blind or have low vision; people with low literacy or reading difficulty; people who are deaf or hard of hearing; or people with physical disabilities. The enhancements also ease use for average people.

The project was initiated by the San Francisco Mayor’s Office on Disability, which was looking for new ways to make multi-unit buildings accessible to all. The Viking Electronics AES-2000 door entry system incorporates Trace EZ Access interface techniques that include a help button to provide audible and visual instruction of button functions, and visual and voice output of the tenant directory. This allows people with visual impairments to access the door-entry system without assistance. People with speech and hearing disabilities can communicate through the system’s TTY/TDD text telephone, and visitors with physical disabilities can use the door-entry system by hand or by mouthstick.

More information: 263-2309. Visit: http://www.trace.wisc.edu.

Scientist receives space club award
Research scientist Jun Li has been awarded the David S. Johnson Award, given annually by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to “young professionals who have developed an innovative use of Earth observation satellite data.”

Li, an assistant scientist in the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies at the Space Science and Engineering Center, has helped guide projects that evaluate and enhance the U.S. remote sensing program, for polar and geostationary weather satellites known as POES and GOES.

Li has become a leader in several key research areas: the development and implementation of several products from the current GOES sounder and future high-spectral resolution sounders, the development and evaluation of combined POES/GOES retrievals, algorithm development for the NASA MODIS research instrument, and cloud classification studies.

Of all his projects, Li says the most beneficial to scientists worldwide is his work with the International ATOVS Processing Package. He has been assisting in international utilization of the sounder data. In the spring, a working group will meet to analyze and discuss possible improvements to this popular software package for scientists.

Research will benefit students with special needs
The Center on Education and Work received funding for two projects that will benefit students with special needs.

One study seeks to identify factors that are associated with degree completion and postschool success of university students with disabilities. A second project will work with secondary schools to develop and operate school-based enterprises for special-education students. A school-based enterprise is a real-world experience – ranging from house construction to restaurant operations – that teaches students academic and work-related skills.

For information, check “What’s New” at: http://www.cew.wisc.edu/.