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• Creating Accessible Online Floor Plans for Visually Impaired Readers

  Anuradha Madugalla, Kim Marriott, Simone Marinai, Samuele Capobianco, Cagatay Goncu · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents a generic model for converting online graphics—specifically house floor plans—into accessible formats for blind and severely vision-impaired users. The model supports both fully automatic and semi-automatic transcription, allowing sighted users to correct…

  visual impairment · blindness · floor plans · tactile graphics · image recognition

• Experimental Analysis of a Spatialised Audio Interface for People with Visual Impairments

  Jacobus C. Lock, Iain D. Gilchrist, Grzegorz Cielniak, Nicola Bellotto · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper evaluates a spatialised audio interface designed to help people with visual impairments find objects in indoor environments. Part of the ActiVis project, the system uses a Google Project Tango mobile device with RGB-D cameras for localization and Aftershokz…

  visual impairment · blindness · navigation · spatial audio · bone conduction

• Tactile Working Memory Capacity of Users Who Are Blind in an Electronic Travel Aid Application with a Vibration Belt

  Jan B. F. van Erp, Katja I. Paul, Tina Mioch · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper investigates the tactile working memory capacity of users who are blind when using a vibrotactile belt for electronic travel aid (ETA) applications. ETAs that display obstacle information through vibration belts require users to integrate multiple tactile cues over…

  electronic travel aids · vibrotactile feedback · working memory · tactile displays · navigation

• See-Thru: Towards Minimally Obstructive Eye-Controlled Wheelchair Interfaces

  Corten Clemente Singer, Björn Hartmann · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents See-Thru, an eye-tracking interface for controlling power wheelchairs that replaces the conventional obstructive computer screen with a transparent wire-frame device containing spatially arranged LEDs. The fundamental problem with existing eye-controlled…

  eye tracking · eye-gaze control · power wheelchair · motor disability · assistive technology

• Sidewalk, A Wayfinding Message Syntax for People with a Visual Impairment

  Joey van der Bie, Christina Jaschinski, Somaya Ben Allouch · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This poster paper introduces Sidewalk, a structured wayfinding message syntax designed to improve navigation instructions for people with visual impairments (PVI) using mobile applications. The authors argue that traditional turn-by-turn navigation apps fail PVI because they…

  visual impairment · wayfinding · navigation · natural language · mobile accessibility

• Go That Way: Exploring Supplementary Physical Movements by a Stationary Robot When Providing Navigation Instructions

  Xiang Zhi Tan, Elizabeth J. Carter, Samantha Reig, Aaron Steinfeld · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper explores how stationary kiosk-type robots might provide navigation instructions to blind people by supplementing verbal directions with physical movements. The work is inspired by a technique used by Orientation and Mobility (O&M) experts called Palm Drawing, in which…

  blindness · human-robot interaction · navigation · haptic feedback · orientation and mobility

• Closing the Gap: Designing for the Last-Few-Meters Wayfinding Problem for People with Visual Impairments

  Manaswi Saha, Alexander J. Fiannaca, Melanie Kneisel, Edward Cutrell, Meredith Ringel Morris · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper comprehensively investigates the last-few-meters wayfinding problem — the gap between where GPS navigation ends (within approximately 5 meters of a destination) and where a person with visual impairment actually needs to arrive (the specific door, entrance, or…

  blindness · wayfinding · navigation · GPS · computer vision

• WatchOut: Obstacle Sonification for People with Visual Impairment or Blindness

  Giorgio Presti, Dragan Ahmetovic, Mattia Ducci, Cristian Bernareggi, Luca Ludovico, Adriano Baratè, Federico Avanzini, Sergio Mascetti · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents WatchOut, a sonification technique that conveys real-time information about obstacle characteristics to people who are blind or visually impaired (BVI) through non-verbal sound, enabling them to avoid obstacles while walking. The white cane, the primary…

  sonification · obstacle avoidance · blind · low vision · computer vision

• Adaptable maps for people with autism

  Claudia De Los Rios Perez, David A. McMeekin, Marita Falkmer, Tele Tan · 2018 · Proceedings of the 15th International Web for All Conference (W4A 2018)

  This demonstration paper presents a web application that adapts digital maps for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), addressing the fact that mainstream map services like Google Maps are not designed with the needs, limitations, and capabilities of autistic users in…

  autism · maps · user interface · personalization · navigation

• Automatic Role Detection of Visual Elements of Web Pages for Automatic Accessibility Evaluation

  Carlos Duarte, Ana Salvado, M. Elgin Akpinar, Yeliz Yeşilada, Luís Carriço · 2018 · Proceedings of the 15th International Web for All Conference (W4A 2018)

  This short paper presents an approach to automatically detect the visual roles of web page elements — specifically menus and lists — to enable automated accessibility evaluation tools to assess WCAG techniques that require understanding an element’s semantic role, not just its…

  automated testing · web accessibility · WCAG · web page segmentation · navigation

• WebSight: Using AR and WebGL shaders to assist the visually impaired

  Dan Ruta, Louis Jordan, Tom James Fox, Rich Boakes · 2018 · Proceedings of the 15th International Web for All Conference (W4A 2018)

  This demonstration paper presents WebSight, a browser-based augmented reality system that uses WebGL shaders to process a smartphone’s live camera feed in real time, enhancing visual features to assist people with low vision in navigating real-world environments. An estimated…

  augmented reality · low vision · visual impairment · WebGL · edge detection

• "It Looks Beautiful but Scary": How Low Vision People Navigate Stairs and Other Surface Level Changes

  Yuhang Zhao, Elizabeth Kupferstein, Doron Tal, Shiri Azenkot · 2018 · Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '18)

  This qualitative study investigates how people with low vision experience and navigate surface level changes — stairs, curbs, and other depth transitions — in built environments. Using contextual inquiry, the researchers observed and interviewed 14 participants with low vision…

  low vision · mobility · navigation · depth perception · stairs

• Turn Right: Analysis of Rotation Errors in Turn-by-Turn Navigation for Individuals with Visual Impairments

  Dragan Ahmetovic, Uran Oh, Sergio Mascetti, Chieko Asakawa · 2018 · Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '18)

  This paper examines a frequently overlooked problem in navigation assistance for blind and visually impaired (BVI) people: how accurately users execute rotation instructions during turn-by-turn guidance. While much research has focused on improving localization accuracy (knowing…

  navigation · blindness · orientation and mobility · indoor navigation · assistive technology

• Exploring Aural and Haptic Feedback for Visually Impaired People on a Track: A Wizard of Oz Study

  Kyle Rector, Rachel Bartlett, Sean Mullan · 2018 · Proceedings of the 20th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2018)

  This University of Iowa study investigates how to make outdoor jogging tracks accessible to people who are blind or have low vision, addressing a gap in exercise accessibility research. Standard 400-meter tracks rely entirely on visual lane markings, and the overwhelming…

  blindness · low vision · exercise accessibility · navigation · haptic technology

• Mind Your Crossings: Mining GIS Imagery for Crosswalk Localization

  Dragan Ahmetovic, Roberto Manduchi, James M. Coughlan, Sergio Mascetti · 2017 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS)

  This paper presents a computer vision system for automatically detecting and localizing zebra crosswalks in urban environments by mining existing geospatial image databases, specifically Google satellite imagery and Google Street View. The motivation is that blind pedestrians…

  visual impairment · orientation and mobility · computer vision · navigation · crowdsourcing

• Sensory Glasses for the Visually Impaired

  Michael Barney, Jonathan Kilner, Gilmar Brito, Aida Araújo, Meuse Nogueira · 2017 · Proceedings of the 14th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This demonstration paper presents the design and development of a low-cost wearable assistive device — sensory glasses — intended to help visually impaired people navigate their surroundings. The device addresses a well-known limitation of the traditional white cane: it cannot…

  assistive technology · blindness · wearable technology · sonification · navigation

• "Is Someone There? Do They Have a Gun": How Visual Information about Others Can Improve Personal Safety Management for Blind Individuals

  Stacy M. Branham, Ali Abdolrahmani, William Easley, Morgan Scheuerman, Erick Ronquillo, Amy Hurst · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper investigates an underexplored dimension of accessibility for people who are blind: the need for visual information about other people to manage personal physical safety. While decades of assistive technology research have focused on helping blind individuals navigate…

  blindness · personal safety · facial recognition · assistive technology · navigation

• DroneNavigator: Using Leashed and Free-Floating Quadcopters to Navigate Visually Impaired Travelers

  Mauro Avila Soto, Markus Funk, Matthias Hoppe, Robin Boldt, Katrin Wolf, Niels Henze · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper explores an unconventional approach to navigation assistance for visually impaired travelers: using small, lightweight quadcopters as mobile sound and haptic sources to guide users through indoor environments. While existing navigation systems deliver directional…

  navigation · blindness · drones · assistive technology · haptic technology

• Virtual Navigation for Blind People: Building Sequential Representations of the Real-World

  João Guerreiro, Dragan Ahmetovic, Kris M. Kitani, Chieko Asakawa · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper investigates whether blind people can build accurate mental representations of real-world routes by virtually navigating them on a smartphone before physically visiting the location. Sighted people routinely study maps before visiting new places, building a sequential…

  blindness · navigation · cognitive mapping · virtual navigation · orientation and mobility

• Accessibility barriers to online education for young adults with intellectual disabilities

  Erin Buehler, William Easley, Amy Poole, Amy Hurst · 2016 · Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents an emic ethnographic account of the accessibility barriers that young adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) encounter when using online education tools in a postsecondary environment. The authors—researchers and educators in an inclusive postsecondary…

  intellectual disability · cognitive accessibility · e-learning accessibility · higher education · file management

• Developing a Wearable Tactile Prototype to Support Situational Awareness

  Flynn Wolf · 2016 · Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This doctoral consortium paper from UMBC describes dissertation research into head-mounted tactile displays for spatial and situational awareness, with applications for people who are blind and those experiencing situational impairments. The research program is grounded in…

  haptic technology · wearable technology · tactile accessibility · blindness · situational impairment

• Customizable 3D Printed Tactile Maps as Interactive Overlays

  Brandon Taylor, Anind Dey, Dan Siewiorek, Asim Smailagic · 2016 · Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This paper presents an end-to-end system that enables visually impaired individuals to independently design, customize, and interact with 3D printed tactile maps. Traditional tactile map production has been limited by high costs (Braille embossers range from $1,800 to $80,000;…

  tactile maps · tactile graphics · 3D printing · visual impairment · navigation

• LucentMaps: 3D Printed Audiovisual Tactile Maps for Blind and Visually Impaired People

  Timo Götzelmann · 2016 · Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This paper presents LucentMaps, a system for creating 3D printed transparent audiovisual tactile maps that work as interactive overlays on standard tablet computers and smartphones. Unlike most audio-tactile map approaches that focus exclusively on blind users, LucentMaps serves…

  tactile maps · tactile graphics · 3D printing · blindness · low vision

• Supporting Orientation of People with Visual Impairment: Analysis of Large Scale Usage Data

  Hernisa Kacorri, Sergio Mascetti, Andrea Gerino, Dragan Ahmetovic, Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa · 2016 · Proceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '16)

  This paper analyzes large-scale remote usage data from iMove, an iOS GPS-based orientation app for people with visual impairments, to understand how users interact with assistive navigation technology in real-world conditions. Traditional assistive technology user studies are…

  visual impairment · blindness · navigation · orientation and mobility · mobile accessibility

• Browser-Independent Accessible Math

  Neil Soiffer · 2015 · Proceedings of the 12th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper describes the re-architecture of MathPlayer (version 4) from Design Science, transforming it from an Internet Explorer-only plugin into a standalone library that any assistive technology can use to make mathematical notation accessible in any browser or application.…

  MathML · STEM accessibility · screen readers · speech generation · braille