Promoting Universal Design of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs)

Public services should be equally accessible to all users. Conversely, service users vary individually in terms of physical ability and experience in using the services. These individual differences have been a cause of a growing digital divide. The recent progress made in information technology has also provided more job and learning opportunities for those with disabilities, thus enhancing their social evolution. This trend can be seen in various countries that have established new guidelines for products and services and regulations concerning universal design. Before other companies, Fujitsu has always sought to implement universal design of its products and services in order to narrow the digital divide, while promoting improvements to machines and the development of new functions for automated machines used in banks, local government facilities, and hospitals. This paper describes Fujitsu’s activities in promoting the universal design of automated machines, specifically Fujitsu’s concept of universal design, methods of implementation, and the results of said activities. This paper also refers to new approaches being taken toward achieving the universal design of automated machines.