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• Travelling more independently: A Requirements Analysis for Accessible Journeys to Unknown Buildings for People with Visual Impairments

  Christin Engel, Karin Müller, Angela Constantinescu, Claudia Loitsch, Vanessa Petrausch, Gerhard Weber, Rainer Stiefelhagen · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper presents a comprehensive survey with 106 people with visual impairments (63 blind, 43 low vision; ages 8-77, mean 46; predominantly German) examining how they plan and carry out journeys to unknown buildings. Unlike previous studies that focused on isolated aspects of…

  visual accessibility · blindness and low vision · indoor navigation · wayfinding · orientation and mobility

• O&M Indoor Virtual Environments for People Who Are Blind: A Systematic Literature Review

  Agebson Rocha Façanha, Ticianne Darin, Windson Viana, Jaime Sánchez · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This systematic literature review examines virtual environments designed to support indoor orientation and mobility (O&M) training for people who are blind. The authors analyzed 51 papers describing 32 distinct O&M virtual environments, filtering from an initial pool of 987…

  orientation and mobility · O&M training · virtual environments · blindness · visual impairment

• Use of an Indoor Navigation System by Sighted and Blind Travelers: Performance Similarities across Visual Status and Age

  Nicholas A. Giudice, Benjamin A. Guenther, Toni M. Kaplan, Shane M. Anderson, Robert J. Knuesel, Joseph F. Cioffi · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study evaluates an indoor navigation system using commercial iOS devices and Bluetooth beacons to guide blind and visually impaired (BVI) travelers through complex university buildings. The research compared two navigation conditions: a system-aided mode where participants…

  indoor navigation · blind and low vision · wayfinding · Bluetooth beacons · older adults

• X-Road: Virtual Reality Glasses for Orientation and Mobility Training of People with Visual Impairments

  Lauren Thevin, Carine Briant, Anke M. Brock · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents X-Road, an affordable and accessible virtual reality system designed for Orientation and Mobility (O&M) training of students with visual impairments. O&M classes teach essential navigation skills like crossing streets, but real-world training poses risks from…

  virtual reality · orientation and mobility · visual impairment · spatial cognition · accessible VR

• Mental Maps and the Use of Sensory Information by Blind and Partially Sighted People

  Marion Hersh · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This qualitative study addresses a significant gap in understanding how blind and partially sighted people form and use spatial representations (mental maps) during real-world travel. Through semi-structured interviews with 100 participants across five countries (France, Italy,…

  blindness · low vision · orientation and mobility · wayfinding · cognitive maps

• Guiding Blind Pedestrians in Public Spaces by Understanding Walking Behavior of Nearby Pedestrians

  Seita Kayukawa, Tatsuya Ishihara, Hironobu Takagi, Shigeo Morishima, Chieko Asakawa · 2020 · Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies (IMWUT), Vol. 4, No. 3, Article 85

  Collisions with other pedestrians are one of the most common hazards for blind travellers in public space — 87.8% of blind people report colliding or nearly colliding with pedestrians, bicycles, or obstacles. White canes detect contact rather than approach, and guide dogs cannot…

  blind navigation · collision prediction · pedestrian avoidance · visual impairment · audio interface

• Smartphone-Based Assistance for Blind People to Stand in Lines

  Seita Kayukawa, Hironobu Takagi, João Guerreiro, Shigeo Morishima, Chieko Asakawa · 2020 · Extended Abstracts of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA '20, Late-Breaking Work)

  This CHI 2020 Late-Breaking Work is the preliminary study that seeded the CHI 2021 LineChaser paper by the same research group. Where the fuller LineChaser system would later combine line-end finding with AR-marker-based localisation and a dual audio/vibration interface, this…

  line standing · pedestrian detection · vibration feedback · visual impairment · orientation and mobility

• BlindPilot: A Robotic Local Navigation System that Leads Blind People to a Landmark Object

  Seita Kayukawa, Tatsuya Ishihara, Hironobu Takagi, Shigeo Morishima, Chieko Asakawa · 2020 · Extended Abstracts of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA '20, Late-Breaking Work)

  Most indoor-navigation research for blind travellers has focused on what the authors call 'global' navigation — getting from a building entrance to a room, gate, or exhibit. The 'last few metres' of the journey, a body-scale interaction with a specific landmark object such as an…

  local navigation · landmark object · blind navigation · indoor navigation · assistive robotics

• Jido: A Conversational Tactile Map for Blind People

  Luis Cavazos Quero, Jorge Iranzo Bartolomé, Dongmyeong Lee, Yerin Lee, Sangwon Lee, Jundong Cho · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This demonstration paper presents Jido, a system that combines a touch-sensitive tactile map with a voice-based conversational agent to help blind people understand and navigate indoor environments. The tactile map is constructed from laser-cut acrylic sheets mounted on a case…

  blindness · tactile maps · voice interaction · indoor navigation · conversational interface

• 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

• 3D Printed Maps and Icons for Inclusion: Testing in the Wild by People who are Blind or have Low Vision

  Leona Holloway, Kim Marriott, Matthew Butler, Samuel Reinders · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This study investigated the use of 3D printed maps at a real-world public event — the 2019 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show — to evaluate their suitability for people who are blind or have low vision (BLV). Conducted in collaboration with Guide Dogs Victoria (GDV),…

  tactile graphics · blind · low vision · 3D printing · orientation and mobility

• A Demonstration of Molder: An Accessible Design Tool for Tactile Maps

  Lei Shi, Yuhang Zhao, Elizabeth Kupferstein, Shiri Azenkot · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This demonstration paper presents Molder, an accessible design tool that enables teachers of the visually impaired (TVIs) and orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists to create 3D printed tactile maps without requiring professional 3D modeling skills. The problem Molder…

  tactile maps · tactile graphics · 3D printing · visual impairment · orientation and mobility

• Research to Market Transition of Mobile Assistive Technologies for People with Visual Impairments

  Sergio Mascetti, Dragan Ahmetovic, Cristian Bernareggi · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper examines why so few mobile assistive technology research prototypes for people with visual impairments ever reach end users, and shares practical lessons from the authors’ experience developing and distributing three iOS apps through EveryWare Technologies, a…

  assistive technology · visual impairment · mobile accessibility · technology transfer · blind

• Leveraging Augmented Reality to Create Apps for People with Visual Disabilities: A Case Study in Indoor Navigation

  Chris Yoon, Ryan Louie, Jeremy Ryan, MinhKhang Vu, Hyegi Bang, William Derksen, Paul Ruvolo · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents Clew, an iOS app that leverages Apple’s ARKit augmented reality framework to help people who are blind or visually impaired (B/VI) navigate indoor environments — a setting where GPS is unreliable (accuracy drops to ~5m+ indoors). Clew uses visual-inertial…

  augmented reality · indoor navigation · orientation and mobility · blind · low vision

• GoDonnie: A Robot Programming Language to Improve Orientation and Mobility Skills in People Who are Visually Impaired

  Juliana Damasio Oliveira, Márcia de Borba Campos, Alexandre Amory, Rafael H. Bordini · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This demonstration paper presents GoDonnie, a text-based programming language designed to help people who are visually impaired (PVI) develop both computational thinking and orientation and mobility (O&M) skills simultaneously. GoDonnie is based on Logo, the classic educational…

  orientation and mobility · visual impairment · programming education · robotics · screen readers

• 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

• CaBot: Designing and Evaluating an Autonomous Navigation Robot for Blind People

  João Guerreiro, Daisuke Sato, Saki Asakawa, Huixu Dong, Kris M. Kitani, Chieko Asakawa · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents CaBot (Carry-on roBot), an autonomous suitcase-shaped navigation robot designed to guide blind people to destinations in unfamiliar indoor environments while avoiding obstacles. Unlike smartphone navigation apps that provide turn-by-turn instructions but…

  navigation robot · blind · orientation and mobility · haptic feedback · LiDAR

• Hacking Blind Navigation

  João Guerreiro, Hernisa Kacorri, Jeffrey P. Bigham, Edward Cutrell, Daisuke Sato, Dragan Ahmetovic, Chieko Asakawa · 2019 · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Extended Abstracts

  This workshop summary describes a one-day CHI 2019 workshop designed to bring together researchers from multiple disciplines working on assistive navigation technologies for blind people. The organizers — experts from Carnegie Mellon University, University of Maryland, Microsoft…

  blind navigation · orientation and mobility · assistive technology · visual impairment · computer vision

• Airport Accessibility and Navigation Assistance for People with Visual Impairments

  João Guerreiro, Dragan Ahmetovic, Daisuke Sato, Kris Kitani, Chieko Asakawa · 2019 · Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

  This paper investigates whether a BLE-beacon-based smartphone navigation system can enable visually impaired travelers to move through an airport independently — a setting where they are currently required to rely on airline-provided sighted escorts to reach the gate, and where…

  airport accessibility · blind navigation · indoor navigation · orientation and mobility · visual impairment

• BBeep: A Sonic Collision Avoidance System for Blind Travellers and Nearby Pedestrians

  Seita Kayukawa, Keita Higuchi, João Guerreiro, Shigeo Morishima, Yoichi Sato, Kris Kitani, Chieko Asakawa · 2019 · Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '19)

  This paper presents BBeep, an assistive suitcase-shaped system designed to help blind travellers navigate crowded public spaces such as international airports, train stations, and shopping malls. The authors argue that existing blind-navigation research has focused largely on…

  blind navigation · obstacle avoidance · collision avoidance · assistive technology · wearable technology

• Insights on Assistive Orientation and Mobility of People with Visual Impairment Based on Large-Scale Longitudinal Data

  Hernisa Kacorri, Sergio Mascetti, Andrea Gerino, Dragan Ahmetovic, Valeria Alampi, Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa · 2018 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS)

  This paper analyses large-scale longitudinal usage data from iMove, a mobile app supporting outdoor orientation for people with visual impairment (PVI), examining millions of interactions from approximately 15,000 users worldwide over 15 months. This is a departure from the…

  orientation and mobility · visual impairment · large-scale data · longitudinal study · user clustering

• How Context and User Behavior Affect Indoor Navigation Assistance for Blind People

  João Guerreiro, Eshed Ohn-Bar, Dragan Ahmetovic, Kris Kitani, Chieko Asakawa · 2018 · Proceedings of the 15th International Web for All Conference (W4A 2018)

  This short paper presents a fine-grained thematic analysis of user behaviour during indoor assisted navigation to understand when and why navigation errors occur even when the underlying localisation system is accurate. The research uses NavCog, a smartphone-based indoor…

  indoor navigation · blind · orientation and mobility · guide dog · white cane

• 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

• Variability in Reactions to Instructional Guidance during Smartphone-Based Assisted Navigation of Blind Users

  Eshed Ohn-Bar, João Guerreiro, Kris Kitani, Chieko Asakawa · 2018 · Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies (IMWUT)

  This paper takes a close, sensor-level look at something most indoor-navigation research glosses over: how differently individual blind users actually react to the same spoken instruction. The authors instrumented a smartphone-and-BLE-beacon turn-by-turn system (based on NavCog)…

  indoor navigation · turn-by-turn navigation · blindness · visual impairment · assistive technology