Microsoft’s new Surface Adaptive Kit allows disabled users to access Surface devices and Windows 11 without any compromises in usability.
Last week was a busy day of Microsoft Surface hardware announcements. While the Surface Laptop Studio stole the show with its “new category” claims, we also saw the much-improved Surface Duo 2, and the all-new design for the Surface Pro 8. In that mix of products, Microsoft also announced a new Surface Adaptive Kit.
What was the idea behind the Surface Adaptive Kit?
The idea behind the product is it makes Microsoft Surface hardware more accessible. Microsoft says the Surface Adaptive Kit is an accessibility tool that does not compromise how hardware looks and performs.
Microsoft dedicated a sizeable portion of its hardware event to discussing accessibility. The company says there should be no trade offs for the 1 billion disabled people around the world when using Surface products.
What do you get in the Surface Adaptive Kit?
It includes bump labels, port indicators, keycap labels, and device openers. These features help users open and use devices more efficiently.
Microsoft offers the following description for each of the features:
Bump labels:
Bump labels come in four shape and colours, for a total of 16 labels. Shape variations are a solid dot, an open circle, a dash line, and an X. Each shape variation is available in green, orange, blue, and grey. They can be applied anywhere to help identify features such as buttons, keys, ports, etc. Peel the label from the card and place it on or next to the feature you want to identify.
Keycap labels and applicator:
Keycap labels are designed to help you identify keys on your keyboard. The labels are transparent with a raised feature on them. There are 12 total labels.
Port labels:
The port labels are designed to help identify and match cables and ports on your device. There are five different port label pairs, for 10 total labels. Each pair is a different colour and has a different tactile design so they can be identified visually and by touch.
Opener support:
There are two opener supports. The first support has a larger loop, designed to assist in opening a laptop lid. Place the opener support on the edge of the lid with the loop hanging off. The second support has a flexible section in the middle where you can attach a lanyard or wrist strap.
When is the Surface Adaptive Kit available?
Microsoft will begin rolling out the Surface Adaptive Kit later in the year. If you want to know more about the features, check out Microsoft’s support blog here.
