Accessible SCADA Data for People with a Vision Impairment

SCADA time series data is crucial for water utilities, helping to monitor usage patterns, optimize operations, and identify inefficiencies.

However, this data is often presented in graphs via SCADA interfaces, spreadsheets, and Power BI, which can pose challenges for people with a vision impairment.

At SensorClean.ai we prioritize creating accessible, high-value tools for all utility staff.

In collaboration with Greater Western Water and WaterAble, we developed a solution that converts SCADA data into descriptive HTML text, enabling screen readers to interpret key metrics such as hydrant activity, pipe failures, peak demand periods etc. This format can be customized to include additional metrics as needed.

How does it work?

Our advanced SCADA data cleaning technology extracts key metrics from water network systems and embeds them into HTML templates for screen reader compatibility, delivering a text-based narrative of SCADA data.

A professional in the water industry who has a vision impairment tested this and commented:

"The information is very readable and clear. As well as being accessible to screen readers, this format may make this data easier to digest for other parts of the business that need to use it in different contexts."

Additional Benefits

Beyond accessibility, this feature may appeal to staff who prefer textual reports over graphical data analysis.

It also sets the foundation for future AI chatbot integration, enhancing its versatility for utility applications.

Conclusion

This project shows the wider benefits of SCADA data mining, by converting metrics into accessible HTML text for staff with a vision impairment. For more information, please contact us.