Enhancing Wayfinding Experience in Low-Vision Individuals through a Tailored Mobile Guidance Interface

Abstract

Individuals with low vision (LV) face daily wayfinding challenges, struggling with route establishment, direction recognition, and obstacle avoidance. Mobile navigation, though commonly relied upon, often clashes with LV visual conditions, particularly central scotomas from diseases like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), hindering the relay of crucial wayfinding information. Addressing this, we introduced a novel guidance interface post-literature review. In a VR-based user study involving 25 participants simulating LV experience, our map guidance interface enabled quicker navigation, improving system usability and presence. The resulting performance paralleled that of normal-vision individuals. This study demonstrated that modifying familiar navigation interfaces effectively addresses visual impairment conflicts, enhancing outdoor navigation for individuals with LV. The modifications extend benefits, enabling comparable wayfinding ease to individuals with normal vision.