FSTP-UMAA - Use cases for assisting persons with disabilities using mobile applications

The disclosure generally describes computer-implemented methods, software, and systems for creating and using two-tier mobile applications. A computer-implemented method includes identifying at least a portion of a database to be associated with a mobile application, retrieving a set of metadata associated with the at least a portion of the identified database, automatically generating a set of mobile application source code for directly accessing the at least a portion of the database based on the set of retrieved metadata, and compiling the set of mobile application source code into a distributable mobile application, the distributable mobile application configured to directly access the identified database associated with the mobile application. In some instances, the identifying, retrieving, generating, and compiling operations are performed at design time, while at runtime, the mobile application is executable by a mobile device and, during runtime execution, can request database-related information directly from the identified database.

IBM advocacy partner, the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media at WGBH (NCAM) received the FCC Chairman's Award for Advancement in Accessibility for Mobile Applications for their development of the Media Access Mobile (MAM) solution. MAM is designed to serve visitors to entertainment venues and cultural institutions who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind or visually impaired, or who speak languages other than English.

Ryan A. Ristau
Nov 1, 2013; 26:211-215
From Research to Practice