An interesting story from Mobile Payments Today's sister site Kiosk Marketplace on how the European Union is funding a project to make self-service terminals more accessible to the elderly and to people with disabilities.

Here's the "nut graph" for the mobile payments audience from the EU's statement:

"For example, tests could involve a programmed card that contains the user's preferences. When the user brings the card close to the ATM, the machine instantly adapts to the user's needs (perhaps changing the size of the font or choice of language). Other interfaces could include a mobile phone with accessibility features that enables a customer to purchase a ticket online and pay at the machine issuing the ticket using a secure code sent to their phone."

The project, called the APSIS4All project, is aimed at making services of all kinds available, but the focus seems to be making financial services and transactions accessible to the disabled.

The EU has committed to spending nearly $5 million on the project. Currently, 3,000 users are helping to test machines to adapt interfaces to accommodate their needs.