Traveling More Independently: A Study on the Diverse Needs and Challenges of People with Visual or Mobility Impairments in Unfamiliar Indoor Environments
Karin Müller, Christin Engel, Claudia Loitsch, Rainer Stiefelhagen, Gerhard Weber · 2022 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing · doi:10.1145/3514255
Summary
This comprehensive survey study examines how people with visual impairments (blindness or low vision) and mobility impairments plan and execute trips to unfamiliar indoor environments. The researchers surveyed 125 participants—60 blind, 39 with low vision, and 26 with mobility impairments—primarily from Germany, investigating their mobility patterns, planning behaviors, information needs, orientation strategies, and use of maps and navigation aids. The study addresses a significant gap in the literature by comparing needs across three distinct user groups and examining both the planning phase and in-situ navigation. Participants reported on their experiences visiting 11 types of public buildings, from offices and medical institutions to train stations and shopping centers. The methodology included both quantitative Likert-scale questions and qualitative free-text responses, revealing 181 distinct challenges from 93 participants. A key focus was understanding the "travel chain"—the entire journey from planning at home through navigation within the building. The researchers found that participants engage in extensive preparation, with 83-92% planning trips in advance (depending on disability type), yet face a critical information gap: accessible materials for indoor environments are largely unavailable or of poor quality.
Key findings
The three disability groups show both shared challenges and distinct needs. For planning, all groups prioritize building address, room name, main entrance location, and toilet locations. However, people with blindness especially need tactile labels and tactile maps, while those with mobility impairments prioritize elevator locations and accessible parking. Indoor navigation applications are severely underutilized—only 5% of blind participants and 10.5% of those with low vision use indoor navigation apps "often," compared to 40-50% using outdoor navigation apps regularly. The primary barrier is availability: 69% of participants who don't use indoor maps cite lack of availability as the reason, not lack of interest. Over 80% expressed willingness to use indoor maps in the future. Building geometry presents significant challenges differently across groups. Hanging or floating stairs affect 70% of blind participants and 69% with low vision. Complex building structures (non-orthogonal layouts, wide-open areas) are the greatest challenge for blind participants (65%), while missing guidance systems most affect those with mobility impairments (37%). Current wayfinding strategies reveal a gap between practice and preference. The most common approach—asking others for directions—is used by 42-54% of participants, but all groups would prefer greater independence through maps, textual descriptions, or technology-based solutions.
Relevance
This research provides essential requirements data for developers of indoor navigation systems, accessible map applications, and building information services. The finding that indoor maps are wanted but unavailable highlights a significant market gap and accessibility need. For building owners and facility managers, the study documents specific accessibility information that travelers need: not just basic features like entrances and toilets, but details like stair types, door mechanisms, tactile labels, and guidance system availability. Importantly, information needs shift between planning and in-situ phases—building addresses matter more during planning while landmarks become critical once on-site. The research demonstrates that "visual impairment" and "mobility impairment" are not monolithic categories. People with blindness versus low vision have substantially different needs (tactile vs. visual materials), as do people with varying degrees of mobility impairment. Effective solutions must allow personalization rather than one-size-fits-all approaches. The finding that participants want independence—not just assistance—should guide the design of future navigation and orientation technologies.
Tags: indoor navigation · wayfinding · visual impairment · mobility impairment · indoor maps · trip planning · orientation