They suspended their studies in March to work full time. Cavanaugh started as content director, then moved into sales and marketing with Aley. But when the public markets soured on dot-coms later that month, Cavanaugh and Aley realized their business plan probably wouldn't attract sufficient funding. About 20 employees work out of one cavernous, linoleum-floored room, a former Kragen Auto Parts store in San Francisco's Mission District. Most websites are designed primarily for users to read or look at, not listen to.
Voice browsers can help visually impaired people by scanning text and reading it aloud.
Unfortunately, voice browsers don't reproduce graphics, a key part of most websites. A simple solution, often overlooked, is to provide descriptive information in a caption that can substitute for the picture when read by the browser. Several other companies test websites for various kinds of usability, but Cavanaugh's group focuses exclusively on access for the visually impaired. Hopefully they'll start spreading the message to designers who haven't been paying attention to access. Just how big the market might be for the company's services is anyone's guess.