Using direct visual augmentation to provide people with low vision equal access to information

Abstract

Low vision is a visual impairment that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Low vision people have functional vision and prefer using that vision instead of relying on audition and touch. Existing approaches to low vision accessibility enhance people's vision using simple "signal-to-signal" techniques that do not take into account the user's context. There is thus a major gap between low vision people's needs and existing low vision technologies. My doctorial research aims to address this gap by augmenting low vision people's visual experience with direct and optimal visual feedback based on the user's context. I will design and study novel methods for visual augmentation , which involves visual feedback beyond simple enhancements. My research considers two dimensions: visual condition and task. By understanding the visual perception of people with different visual abilities and exploring their needs in different visual tasks, I will design applications with visual feedback that is optimal for specific context to maximize people's access to information. My research will yield design insights and novel applications for people with all visual abilities.