Information technology is the defining technology of our age. Its promise for dramatically improving peoples' lives is unprecedented. Today, however, millions impacted by the so-called digital divide remain disenfranchised from using computers and computer-based information appliances. This leaves them at a grave disadvantage, affecting not only their employment prospects and productivity but also their ability to control and navigate their environment and access information that enhances-or even saves-their lives. The Archimedes Project is addressing these inequalities by developing technologies that make information appliances accessible regardless of individual needs, abilities, preferences and culture. Believing that information technology holds enormous promise for improving human lives, the Archimedes Project is dedicated to helping realize that promise through original and collaborative research, education, and studies; and projects involving companies, organizations, and nations.