MUSEpad: Supporting Information Accessibility Through Mobile Location-Based Technology

Conclusion Since performing this testing in 2003, there have already been great advancements in computer technologies. For example, OQO has developed a new computer that is as powerful as the Tablet PC that we used and as small as a PDA (http://www.oqo.com). It has a retractable tactile keyboard that would facilitate use by low vision users and has built in 802.11b wireless and Bluetooth capability. It also has a shock mounted hard drive to protect against accidental drops. Still the cost of this device may be prohibitive for many small museums to loan freely to patrons visiting their museum. There have also been great advancements in cellular technology. It is now common for cell phones to have the ability to access the Internet. Many have built-in cameras and others have been combined with PDAs. It is quite likely that in the next few years these devices may provide the ideal platform for achieving the aims of this research. By designing software to deliver content to such devices, the museums would be free of the cost of purchasing mobile computing devices for patrons to use. Museums wishing to support the diverse information needs of their patrons would simply develop the digital content that could be delivered to these mobile devices. Furthermore, this information could serve multiple purposes such as electronically documenting the museum’s collection and populating the museums Web site with a rich set of content that could be used to attract visitors to their museum, while at the same time increasing the accessibility of their online presence