"How can a computer best give someone a voice?"

This question has inspired much of John McCarthy’s research career, including his ASHFoundation-funded investigation into the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) by people with speech and language disorders who also have other disabilities. Common AAC systems—which typically incorporate some type of visual component—are often unusable for people who have visual impairments.

That research has led to McCarthy’s work on programs, devices, and opportunities for people with communication disorders who have visual and motor impairments—making communication possible for everyone.