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New Microsoft tool helps developers create programs viewable by vision-impaired

Microsoft's Innovation Labs in Israel has made available for download a technical preview of Digital Lens, a tool for developers interested in making their applications viewable by those with certain vision impairments.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

Microsoft's Innovation Labs in Israel has made available for download a technical preview of Digital Lens, a tool for developers interested in making their applications viewable by those with certain vision impairments.

Digital Lens emulates conditions like color blindness and blurry vision, enabling designers and developers to identify potential user-interface issues and fix them before they release their applications.

The tool available only for 32-bit Windows 7. Digital Lens also requires users to have an Aero Theme enabled in order to work correctly.

Innovation Labs, part of Microsoft Israel's Research and Development Center, is charged with "finding and prototyping new innovative ideas and technologies that will propel Microsoft forward within the E&D (Entertainment and Devices) space in the short-term future," according to its Web site. "ILabs sets out to create and incubate technical and business innovations that will result in a substantial and measureable business and/or mindshare advantage to Microsoft," the site adds.

Other Innovation Labs research projects include OneAlbum and the DeepZoom Composer (codenamed "Headlight"). I'm not sure if the "Echoes" mobile/advertising project, which got its start at Microsoft Israel's R&D Center (and has since seemingly disappeared), is also considered an Innovation Labs project, but I'd bet so.

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