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• Touching Movement: 3D Tactile Poses for Supporting Blind People in Learning Body Movements

  Kengo Tanaka, Xiyue Wang, Hironobu Takagi, Yoichi Ochiai, Chieko Asakawa · 2026 · Proceedings of the Twentieth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction (TEI '26)

  Tanaka and colleagues investigate whether 3D-printed tactile models of whole-body poses can help blind learners acquire physical movements that are normally taught through visual demonstration. Verbal descriptions are notoriously inconsistent and struggle to convey nuance, while…

  tactile graphics · 3D printing · blindness and low vision · visual impairment · physical activity

• Eyes on the Palm: Investigating a Ring-Shaped Camera for Seamless Accessible Tactile Exploration

  Ayaka Tsutsui, Xiyue Wang, Hironobu Takagi, Yoichi Ochiai, Chieko Asakawa · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Tsutsui and colleagues ask how the form factor of a camera-based assistive device shapes the way blind and low-vision (BLV) users coordinate their hands during tactile exploration of real museum exhibits. Smartphone apps such as Seeing AI and Be My AI are designed around a…

  wearable technology · assistive technology · blindness and low vision · visual impairment · tactile exploration

• MotionBuddy: Exploring Tactile-Based Motion Learning with a Tabletop Humanoid Robot for Blind People

  Kengo Tanaka, Xiyue Wang, Hironobu Takagi, Yoichi Ochiai, Chieko Asakawa · 2026 · Proceedings of the 21st ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI '26)

  This HRI 2026 study by the same team behind the earlier 3D tactile-pose work asks whether a tabletop humanoid robot can convey dynamic body movements to blind learners more effectively than audio instruction alone. The motivation is that physical 3D models and tactile graphics…

  human-robot interaction · humanoid robot · assistive robotics · blindness and low vision · visual impairment

• How Does Delegation in Social Interaction Evolve Over Time? Navigation with a Robot for Blind People

  Rayna Hata, Masaki Kuribayashi, Allan Wang, Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Hata and colleagues run a three-week longitudinal study of how six blind participants delegate social navigation tasks to a guide robot in the Miraikan science museum. The paper pushes back against the default assumption that accessible navigation robots should be as autonomous…

  assistive robotics · navigation · blindness and low vision · visual impairment · shared control

• Robot-Assisted Group Tours for Blind People

  Yaxin Hu, Masaki Kuribayashi, Allan Wang, Seita Kayukawa, Daisuke Sato, Bilge Mutlu, Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Hu and colleagues investigate how an assistive mobile robot can support blind people's participation in mixed-visual group tours, where blind and sighted visitors share the same guided experience. The motivation is that group activities are central to social life, but blind…

  assistive robotics · museum accessibility · blindness and low vision · visual impairment · group activities

• ExNovo: A user interface that supports novices without encumbering experts

  Mark Blair, Amanda Klassen, Justin O'Camb, Cal Woodruff, Rollin Poe, Christine Chuong, Robin Barrett · 2026 · ACM Games

  ExNovo is a novel hierarchical tree menu interface designed to bridge the long-standing divide between graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and keyboard hotkeys. Traditional GUIs scaffold novice users by making command options visible, but their reliance on precise mouse targeting…

  user interface design · keyboard accessibility · motor accessibility · visual impairment · novice-to-expert transition

• Toward Independent Online Shopping of the Visually Impaired Through Voice-based Computer-Using Agent

  Subin Shin, Jeesun Oh, Suhyun Kim, Seoyeon Eom, Sangwon Lee · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper investigates how visually impaired users might shop online independently by interacting with a voice-based Computer-Using Agent (CUA) — an AI agent built on a Large Multimodal Model (LMM) that can perceive a screen, reason about its contents, and manipulate a…

  visual impairment · blindness · low vision · voice interface · conversational user interfaces

• EmojiFan: Designing A Social Interface Supporting Facial Expression Interaction for Blind and Low Vision People in Party Settings

  Jinlin Miao, Shan Luo, Yue Chen, Hongyue Wang, Zhejun Zhang, Rina R. Wehbe · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper presents EmojiFan, an AI-assisted wearable prototype designed to help blind and low-vision (BLV) adults participate in facial-expression interactions in party settings — a social context the authors identify as particularly hostile to BLV inclusion because of…

  blind and low vision · visual impairment · facial expression · social accessibility · wearable technology

• Demonstrating Eyes-Free Object Retrieval via Fingertip Deflection Guidance Using the NURing

  Tomasz P. Trzpit, Gregory Reardon, Elizabeth Gerber, Pedro Lopes, Michael Peshkin, J. Edward Colgate · 2026 · Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA ’26)

  This CHI 2026 Extended Abstract is an interactive-demo paper introducing a vision-enabled version of NURing, a tendon-driven wearable ring that guides reach by gently deflecting the wearer’s fingertip. The authors frame the work around a recurring report from blind and…

  haptic feedback · kinesthetic feedback · wearable technology · blindness · visual impairment

• "I can't just Google it": Technology Needs of Adult Braille Learners

  Quan Zhou · 2025 · ASSETS 2025: 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This extended abstract investigates the overlooked challenges and technology needs of sighted adults who learn braille, specifically Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVIs) and parents of blind children. While substantial research exists on braille learning for blind…

  braille literacy · visual impairment · education · teachers of students with visual impairments · adult learning

• XRMusic4VIP: Enabling Simultaneous Sheet Music Reading and Playing for Visually Impaired Musicians through Extended Reality

  Julia Anken, Delia Blaess, Karin Müller · 2025 · ASSETS 2025: 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper addresses a largely unexplored challenge in music accessibility: enabling visually impaired musicians to simultaneously read sheet music and play keyboard instruments. While assistive technologies for visually impaired musicians exist—including magnification tools,…

  extended reality · visual impairment · music accessibility · assistive technology · augmented reality

• Understanding the Video Content Creation Journey of Creators with Sensory Impairment in Kenya

  Lan Xiao, Maryam Bandukda, Franklin Mingzhe Li, Mark Colley, Catherine Holloway · 2025 · Proceedings of the 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2025)

  This paper presents the first in-depth qualitative study of video content creation by people with visual and hearing impairments in a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) context, specifically Kenya. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 video creators in…

  video content creation · sensory impairment · visual impairment · deaf and hard of hearing · low- and middle-income countries

• Investigating the Work Practices of Assembly Line Workers with Visual Impairments

  Mei-Lian Vader, Marjory Pineda, Ravi Kuber · 2025 · Proceedings of the 22nd International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper investigates the work practices and experiences of assembly line workers with visual impairments at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM), an organization that provides training and employment to individuals with visual impairments across North America. The…

  workplace accessibility · visual impairment · employment · low-tech accessibility · tactile feedback

• VisualAid: Enhancing Accessibility for Visually Impaired Users Through AI

  Wajdi Aljedaani, Sijo Rejigeorge, Priya Jha, Srija Yadavalli, Manikanta Kothakota, Marcelo M. Eler, Abdulrahman Habib · 2025 · Proceedings of the 22nd International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This technical note presents VisualAid, an AI-powered Android application designed to help visually impaired users understand and navigate their physical surroundings. The app integrates multiple AI technologies into a single mobile interface: YOLO11x for real-time object…

  visual impairment · object detection · image captioning · OCR · voice interaction

• Data Sonification for Screen-Reader Users: When and When Not to Use

  Ather Sharif, Neha Aitharaju, Srihari Krishnaswamy, Jacob Wobbrock · 2025 · Proceedings of the 22nd International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper from the University of Washington assesses when data sonification — non-speech audio representations of data visualizations — is and is not beneficial for screen-reader users. Despite sonification dating back to 1974 and growing adoption in commercial products (Apple…

  sonification · data visualization · screen readers · blindness · visual impairment

• Empowering Accessible Gesture Input Design with Gesture-A11Y

  Mihail Terenti, Laura-Bianca Bilius, Ovidiu-Ciprian Ungurean, Radu-Daniel Vatavu · 2025 · Proceedings of the 22nd International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper from Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava (Romania) introduces Gesture-A11Y, the first open-access web-based tool and database for accessible gesture input design, containing over 22,000 gesture records collected from 122 users with visual and/or motor impairments.…

  gesture interaction · motor accessibility · visual impairment · mobile accessibility · wearable technology

• The Qualities of Convivial Tools and Their Relevance to Music Software Accessibility

  Alex Lucas, James Cunningham, Jacob Harrison, Franziska Schroeder, Andrew McPherson · 2025 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This qualitative study explores how visually impaired and blind (VIB) people access digital audio workstations (DAWs) for creative sound work, drawing on Ivan Illich's concept of "convivial tools" to frame accessibility recommendations. The authors conducted 2-hour remote…

  visual impairment · blindness · digital audio workstations · music accessibility · communities of practice

• Understanding Research Themes and Interactions at Scale within Blind and Low-vision Research in ACM and IEEE

  Maximiliano Jeanneret Medina, Yong-Joon Thoo, Cédric Baudet, Jon E. Froehlich, Nicolas Ruffieux, Denis Lalanne · 2025 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This 46-page extended article builds on a 2023 ASSETS paper to provide a comprehensive, field-agnostic analysis of blind and low-vision (BLV) research published in ACM and IEEE venues between 2010 and 2022. Using a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative bibliometrics with…

  systematic literature review · blind and low vision · bibliometrics · mixed methods · research themes

• WanderGuide: Indoor Map-less Robotic Guide for Exploration by Blind People

  Masaki Kuribayashi, Kohei Uehara, Allan Wang, Shigeo Morishima, Chieko Asakawa · 2025 · Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '25)

  Kuribayashi and colleagues design WanderGuide, a suitcase-shaped robotic guide that supports blind people in recreational, open-ended exploration of indoor environments — wandering, browsing, window-shopping — rather than getting from A to B. The team frames a clear gap in the…

  assistive robotics · indoor navigation · blindness and low vision · visual impairment · recreational exploration

• Towards Designing Digital Learning Tools for Students with Cortical/Cerebral Visual Impairments: Leveraging Insights from Teachers of the Visually Impaired

  Adele Smolansky, Miranda Yang, Shiri Azenkot · 2024 · Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '24)

  This paper investigates how digital learning tools should be designed to support students with cortical/cerebral visual impairment (CVI), a neurological condition that affects the brain's ability to process visual information rather than the eyes themselves. CVI is now the most…

  cortical visual impairment · education · digital learning tools · visual impairment · assistive technology

• Dude, Where's My Luggage? An Autoethnographic Account of Airport Navigation by a Traveler with Residual Vision

  Cameron Tyler Cassidy, Stacy Marie Branham · 2024 · ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper presents an autoethnographic study of airport navigation by a legally blind traveler with residual vision, conducted across eight round-trips through six U.S. airports. The first author, Cameron, who has Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy resulting in approximately…

  visual impairment · low vision · residual vision · indoor navigation · wayfinding

• Accessible Bus Stop Preview for Visually Impaired

  Mahmut Erdemli · 2024 · ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper presents research on creating an accessible bus stop preview system for visually impaired users, addressing a significant gap in public transportation accessibility. While navigation apps can guide visually impaired people to a bus stop's GPS coordinates, they provide…

  visual impairment · public transportation · outdoor navigation · bus stops · accessible maps

• "Seven Stitches Later": A Technologically Interdependent Travel Experience From The Perspective Of A Visually Impaired Individual

  Aziz N Zeidieh · 2024 · ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This autoethnographic experience report presents a technologically interdependent travel framework developed from over ten years of first-hand travel experience by the author, a visually impaired individual. The paper's title references a real injury — seven stitches from…

  visual impairment · travel · navigation · orientation and mobility · autoethnography

• Help and The Social Construction of Access: A Case-Study from India

  Vaishnav Kameswaran, Jerry Robinson, Nithya Sambasivan, Gaurav Aggarwal, Meredith Ringel Morris · 2024 · ASSETS '24: Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper examines the role of help in how people with visual impairments (PVI) navigate indoor environments in India, challenging the Western-centric assumption that independence should be the primary goal of assistive technology design. Through a mixed-methods qualitative…

  visual impairment · indoor navigation · Global South · India · social accessibility

• Breaking the News Barrier: Towards Understanding News Consumption Practices among BVI Individuals in India

  Peya Mowar, Meghna Gupta, Mohit Jain · 2024 · ASSETS 2024: 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This study examines digital news consumption practices among blind and visually impaired (BVI) individuals in India, a country home to approximately 4.95 million blind and 35 million visually impaired people. Through semi-structured interviews and contextual inquiry with 17…

  blindness · visual impairment · news consumption · screen readers · information access