IBC has awarded its 2026 Best Technical Paper to an i2 media research team studying interaction barriers in internet-delivered television. The work identifies age-related difficulties in common viewing tasks and evaluates an optional overlay interface intended to reduce them.
The approach does not create a separate service or device for older audiences. It adds an interface layer that can simplify interaction when needed, supporting more confident and independent navigation while leaving the underlying television platform intact.
For streaming product teams, the work is a reminder that accessibility includes cognition, motor interaction and confidence as well as captions and audio description. Optional adaptation can preserve a mainstream experience while responding to different levels of familiarity and dexterity.
The public award summary does not provide sample size, task design, effect size or long-term adoption data. Product teams should read the complete paper and reproduce tests with their own audience, remote controls, television models and accessibility settings before generalising the result.
