Low Vision Individuals Research Articles

Artificial Intelligence in Virtual Reality for Blind and Low Vision Individuals: Literature Review

Virtual reality (VR) technologies have garnered substantial attention and adoption across various fields, including workspaces and education. People with disabilities, who already face lower employment rates and fewer full-time opportunities, may be further disadvantaged. Addressing this, recent advancements have focused on making VR inclusive, particularly for individuals with visual impairments. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, it has also become possible to integrate AI technologies into VR systems to enhance accessibility for individuals with visual impairments. Despite growing interest, there is a gap in comprehensive literature focusing on AI’s role in enabling blind and low vision individuals to experience VR. This review aims to fill that void by providing an overview of current research, discussing benefits and challenges, and identifying future opportunities. By synthesizing existing research, this study contributes insights for researchers, developers, and practitioners working in the field of accessibility and assistive technology.

Compliance with web content accessibility guidelines in ophthalmology social media posts

This is a cross-sectional exploratory analysis of publicly available Internet data to examine compliance to web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) on patient education social media posts in ophthalmology. WCAG ensures web content accessibility for those with disabilities (including visual impairment). A total of 100 social media posts were sampled from ten ophthalmology patient education social media pages and ten non-ophthalmology (cardiopulmonary) pages as the comparison group. Three independent graders evaluated the selected posts based on the WCAG 2 checklist by WebAIM, a non-profit affiliated with Utah State University, after its adaptation for social media posts. Validated accessibility standard labels: “0” for not meeting any standards, “1” or “A” for meeting bare minimum accessibility requirements, “2” or “AA” for meeting legal accessibility requirements, or “3” or “AAA” for exceeding accessibility requirements. There was not enough evidence to detect a difference in WCAG scores between ophthalmology and non-ophthalmology posts (p = 0.80). Forty-nine percent of scores for ophthalmology social media posts showed no compliance with any WCAG. The most common reasons that ophthalmology posts failed to meet criteria were due to color and contrast issues (39%). Most ophthalmology social media posts had low WCAG scores, indicating poor compliance to WCAG. Because social media is highly visual, reduced compliance to WCAG may create barriers for low vision individuals to successfully access patient education social media content.

Co-Designing Auditory Navigation Solutions for Traveling as a Blind Individual During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

A group co-design was held in March 2021 with six blind and low-vision individuals (BLIs) from the United States. Participants were asked to discuss problems related to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic and make recommendations for possible solutions. Two probes (prototypes) of a non-visual neighborhood travel map and a non-visual COVID-19 choropleth map (a map using colors or sounds over each state to represent different values) of COVID-19 state data were shown to participants for inspiration. The participants expressed that COVID-19 had significantly increased their apprehension and discomfort associated with activities such as venturing outside, traveling, engaging with strangers, communicating, adapting to changes in familiar environments, and wearing masks. Participants gravitated towards the need for information the probes provided, and made a number of observations and recommendations for improvement. They wanted more detailed geo-referenced COVID-19 data (including by county), information related to voting, a mobile app, and more detailed building information, such as doors on the travel map.

Using Portable Virtual Reality to Assess Mobility of Blind and Low-Vision Individuals With the Audomni Sensory Supplementation Feedback

Using Portable Virtual Reality to Assess Mobility of Blind and Low-Vision Individuals With the Audomni Sensory Supplementation Feedback

Assessing Mobility of Blind and Low-Vision Individuals Through a Portable Virtual Reality System and a Comprehensive Questionnaire

Assessing Mobility of Blind and Low-Vision Individuals Through a Portable Virtual Reality System and a Comprehensive Questionnaire

Barriers to utilizing low vision devices among non-users with low vision: A cross-sectional study

Background: By recognizing and comprehending the obstacles that prevent low vision devices (LVDs) from being used effectively, the burden of blindness can be reduced. Objective: To find the barriers to the utilization of low-vision devices (LVDs) among non-users in patients with low vision. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the low vision department of Al-Shifa Trust Eye hospitals in Rawalpindi, Pakistan for a duration of six months from July 2021 to December 2021. Low-vision individuals with visual acuity ˂6/18 fulfilling the criteria of low vision and prescribed low-vision devices over the period of 6 months but not using them were included in this study. A total of n=420 patients were evaluated for eligibility, out of which n=255 were prescribed low-vision devices due to low vision. The data was collected on the self-structured questionnaire in accordance with the tenets of Helsinki’s declaration. Results: Out of n=255, a total of n=105 were using (acceptance) and n=150 were not using (non-acceptance) the LVDs. Out of 15 possible barriers, fear of being perceived as blind N=120(80%) is the major cause of non-acceptance of devices among low-vision individuals. It was followed by difficulty in handling low-vision devices n=106(70.7%) and low affordability n=106(70.7%). While fear of loss of job 2(1.3%) was selected as the least occurring problem in non-acceptance of devices. Conclusions: Leading barriers included stigma, lack of information, concern over losing one's job, fear of being viewed as blind, and low necessity. Keywords: blindness; low vision; low-vision devices.

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

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.

“Why are there so many steps?”: Improving Access to Blind and Low Vision Music Learning through Personal Adaptations and Future Design Ideas

Music can be a catalyst for self-development, creative expression, and community building for blind or low vision (BLV) individuals. However, BLV music learners face complex obstacles in learning music. They are highly reliant on their learning environment and music teachers for accommodations and flexibility. Prior research identified the challenges faced by BLV musicians. Yet, limited research has addressed these challenges through the development of technology. Drawing upon the experience and suggestions of 40 BLV professional musicians, amateur musicians and music teachers (including sighted teachers with experience teaching blind students), we identified five themes: (1) Key Challenges of BLV Music Learning, (2) Personal Adaptations to Overcome Music Learning Challenges, (3) Perspectives on Current and Future Assistive Technologies, (4) Contention Between Braille Music and Auditory Learning, and (5) Role of Human Support for Music Learning. Together, these findings outline a path to make music learning more accessible to BLV people. To this end, we describe opportunities for enhanced audio cues for musical communication, recommend integrating vibrotactile feedback to aid music reading and design technology that supports independence and interdependence in music learning.

Mobile software aids for people with low vision

The usage of smartphones is increasingly widespread, and the usefulness of mobile applications as low-vision aids is evident but not thoroughly examined. In this study, we surveyed people with low vision to assess the usability of common, preloaded mobile applications, to evaluate the usage of typical assistive technologies of smartphones, and to measure the usefulness, and usability of recent software advancements that can be used as visual aids. We invited 134 low-vision individuals to participate, and 45 of them met the eligibility criteria and completed an in-person survey. The eligibility criteria were as follows: aged 18 years or older and mentally competent, visual acuity worse than 0.4 logMAR with best-corrected glasses in the better-seeing eye, ownership of a smartphone and familiarity with visual assistive technologies. All testing scenarios were carried out using the participants' smartphones, either with Android or iOS operating systems. Participants reported the usefulness and ease of use for common visual display enhancements (i.e., text size, bold text, increased contrast, inverted colors, and dark mode), audio feedback capabilities, four primary preloaded apps (Dialer, Clock, Calculator, and Calendar), and four usage scenarios that serve as low-vision aids (magnify with camera, hard-copy text-to-speech, voice typing, and voice commands). Participants also indicated whether they could use the apps or execute the scenarios independently. The Dialer and Clock apps, text enhancements, camera magnification, and voice typing were rated as highly useful, while the Calendar application received lower ratings. Most of the selected apps or services were rated as easy to use, with lower ratings recorded for the Calendar and Select to Speak ones. Considering the positive results across all options, this collection of apps and services proved useful for all age groups, regardless of gender, technological familiarity, or education. The feedback received in this study can help towards improving the everyday lives of low-vision people as well as informing the design of apps and assistive features, guiding future research and development to enhance visual accessibility on mobile computing devices.

Analysis of Variation in Viewing Distance among Low Vision Individuals under Chinese Free-Viewing Condition

Analysis of Variation in Viewing Distance among Low Vision Individuals under Chinese Free-Viewing Condition

Evaluating validity and reliability of the Arabic-version low-vision quality-of-life questionnaire

Low-vision quality-of-life questionnaire (LVQOL) has not been developed in the Arabic language, and none has been translated into Arabic. This study would demonstrate the effectiveness of the translated questionnaire. The English LVQOL was translated into Arabic (ARB-LVQOL) through five stages. A total of 52 low vision and 30 normally sighted individuals participated in this study. The internal consistency reliability, item-total correlation reliability, construct validity, convergent validity, discriminative validity, and respondent burden of the ARB-LVQOL were calculated. The translation team recommended that the ARB-LVQOL replicated the meaning of the LVQOL. The cultural differences were also noted during the translation process. Cronbach’s coefficient was α = 0.90 in both low vision (LV) and simulated groups. The item-total correlation ranged from 0.50 to 0.70 in both groups. The intra-class correlation coefficient indicated good test–retest reliability (LV group, ranged 0.82–0.93; control group ranged 0.83–0.94). The factor analysis, using varimax rotation, of the ARB-VQOL identified seven factors. A moderate to a strong relationship between the score of each domain with the total index score was observed, indicating an adequate convergent validity. The ARB-LVQOL discriminated between normally sighted and simulated low-vision participants and also to some extent between the simulated and real low-vision individuals. The respondent burden was less than 15 min in most responses. The ARB-LVQOL was found to relate well with patients’ visual functions and some patients’ characteristics, providing further evidence of the validity of ARB-LVQOL. The ARB-LVQOL showed psychometric properties analogous to the English version. The ARB-LVQOL could be used in clinical settings and research in adults with low vision in Arabic populations.

Cognitive Load and Website Usability: Effects of Contrast and Task Difficulty

The contrast of a website doesn’t just affect its usability for low-vision individuals; it affects everyone. This study aims to evaluate the effects of contrast (low, medium, or high) on web browsing experience in normally-sighted individuals. Cognitive load associated with the task was assessed using the NASA task load index (NASA-TLX) and the usability of the website was assessed by the systems usability scale (SUS). We found that NASA-TLX scores significantly increased with the amount of time a task took, indicating an effect of task difficulty. The impact of contrast was reported during end-of-study interviews, but no significant difference was found between the three chosen contrast levels in NASA-TLX or SUS scores. This study is part 1 of a multi-part research project and future research will compare low-vision individuals to their typically-sighted peers. Together, the studies in this project aim to quantitatively determine the effects of contrast users’ web browsing experience to further accessibility research and web development guidelines.

LIGHTSOUND: ACCESSIBILITY AND AWARENESS FOR UPCOMING SOLAR ECLIPSES

People from all over the United States (and abroad) flocked to the path of totality to witness the Great American Solar Eclipse in 2017. The sentiment was the same for the 2019 and 2020 South American eclipses that passed through Chile and Argentina. While a total solar eclipse is typically thought of as a striking visual phenomenon, it is not the only way to observe one, and for blind or low vision individuals, having an alternate medium to observe an eclipse is a necessity. LightSound is a low-cost, hand-held device that was originally developed for the 2017 North American eclipse. It has a very high-dynamic range sensor that converts light to sound in a process called sonification. The sound can be output to headphones or to a speaker during an event to make the entire event more accessible while capturing the dimming of the Sun in the form of sound. All documentation and software needed to build and use the LightSound are open source and free for download and modification. As the 2023 and 2024 North American solar eclipses approach, we aim to increase the number of LightSounds across the paths of totality so that the experiences can be more inclusive and accessible. In the astronomy community, we are holding a series of workshops through the American Astronomical Society to train new users to build and use the devices, but we hope to expand to a more general audience by connecting with organizations such as libraries, museums, national parks, girl/boy scouts, and others groups who we can help to build the necessary devices for communities and events in need. In addition to eclipses, the LightSound has exciting potential for use as a teaching tool at both K-12 levels and undergraduate levels and for raising awareness about sonification as a powerful and important analysis method in science.

Comparison of Reading Test Parameters from the Print and Tablet Application Forms of the Minnesota Low Vision Reading Test

Objectives:To compare reading parameters measured with the Turkish version of the Minnesota Low Vision Reading Test (MNREAD-TR) printed acuity chart and the tablet application version of the same test for both normally sighted and low-vision individuals.Materials and Methods:A total of 116 individuals (92 normally sighted and 24 low-vision) were included in the study. All participants were tested with both the print version of the MNREAD-TR chart (method 1) and the tablet application version (method 2). Reading acuity (RA), critical print size (CPS), maximum reading speed (MRS), and reading accessibility index (ACC) were compared statistically.Results:No statistically significant difference was found in RA and CPS between the two methods for the normally sighted individuals (p=0.083 and p=0.075, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in RA and ACC between the two methods for the patients with low vision (p=0.159 and p=0.103, respectively). The mean MRS was 233.1±34.7 words per minute (wpm) with method 1 and 169.3±23.4 wpm with method 2 in the normally sighted group (p<0.001) and 93.2±50.2 wpm with method 1 and 68.2±34.7 wpm with method 2 in the low-vision group (p<0.001).Conclusion:In our study, it was found that the parameters RA and CPS in the normally sighted individuals and RA and ACC in the low vision individuals provided similar results in both forms of the MNREAD. The tablet application method can be preferred to eliminate evaluators’ bias of scoring the printed chart. In addition, applications have other advantages such as being faster and more practical and providing automatic analysis of parameters, especially in low-vision rehabilitation.

Digital Reading with Low Vision: Principles for Selecting Display Size.

Digital reading devices have become increasingly popular among people with low vision. Because displays come in many sizes ranging from smart watches to large desktop computer displays, it is important to have principles to guide people with low vision in selecting suitable displays for reading. The selection of effective digital displays for reading by people with low vision focuses attention on the interacting effects of print size, display size, font, visual acuity, and reading distance. This technical report aims to provide principles for identifying the minimum size of digital displays required for fluent reading by people with low vision. We emphasize two critical factors in selecting an appropriate reading display: angular print size, which should exceed the individual's critical print size, and display size, which should allow at least 13 characters to be presented on each line. Our approach considers a low-vision individual's acuity and preferences for viewing distance and fonts. Through an illustrative example, we demonstrate how our approach can be used to determine display size for a low-vision individual with 20/200 acuity and central field loss who wants to read at 30-cm viewing distance with the Times Roman font. We have developed a web application based on our recommended approach to provide easy access to our algorithm. We provide a procedure to guide the selection of appropriate displays for a wide range of acuities. Our approach can help clinicians in making recommendations for their patients, digital product designers in developing more accessible devices, and low-vision individuals in selecting digital displays for reading.

Development of Immersive Virtual Reality Environment for Assessment of Functional Vision in people with Low Vision: A Pilot Study.

Virtual Reality technology helps in creating virtual environments for evaluation of visual performance of low vision individuals with holistic experience. The purpose of this study was to develop a virtual reality (VR) platform for the objective assessment of functional vision in patients with low vision in two categories, central and peripheral vision loss . Focus group discussions (FGD) were organized to understand the difficulties faced on a day to day basis by patients with low vision. Based on the results of the focus group discussions, a virtual bank scenario incorporating specific visual tasks was developed. A pilot study was conducted which involved people with normal vision; low vision Patients secondary to central field loss (CFL) and peripheral field loss (PFL). Each subject completed all the tasks in the objective assessment; the data obtained from the assessment were further analyzed to understand the pattern. Comparing the three groups, there was a significant difference in distance (central field loss was lowest) and near visual angle, and three visual search tasks (peripheral field loss was lowest). In assessing the time taken, peripheral field loss group was again found to take the most time to complete tasks. Based on a newly developed virtual reality platform, assessment of functional vision of specially abled persons could be tested and was inferior to that of normal sighted persons. in a close to realistic environment. Multiple visual tasks were performed in the virtual environment and the visual performance was compared among all three groups of participants. Participants were matched for age and gender. Irrespective of the nature of tasks, visual performance of the normal group seemed significantly better than people with CFL and PFL.

Usability and Accessibility of the ArtontheBrain™ Virtual Recreation Activity for Older Adults With Low Vision Due to Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Experiencing visual art can inspire, be an overall positive leisure activity, and has been linked to improved cognition, especially in older adults. Access to artwork in a museum environment can comprise a variety of barriers, including difficulties linked to its visual experience for persons that are visually impaired. The present study explored the barriers and facilitators experienced by 15 older adults (age 65 to 93) living with age-related macular degeneration when using an iPad to access ArtontheBrain™, a virtual art museum recreation experience created by members of this team. Using the Concurrent Think Aloud method, participants were asked to continuously comment on their experiences with the application while being audio/video recorded. Indeed, codes were determined by identifying frequently stated and emphasized ideas or behaviors of participants using the ArtontheBrain™ application. Transcripts underwent thematic analysis and indicated that the main access barriers were linked to control of the contrast, magnification, and the tactile interface on the tablet device. The learn and play activities as well as the text-to-speech feature were identified as facilitators for ArtontheBrain™ engagement. The present findings should also be considered in the larger context of application development, as this study provides insight pertaining to the needs of low vision individuals regarding usability and accessibility.

The Relationship between Barriers to Participation in Recreational Activities and The Perceived Stress in Low Vision Individuals

Bu çalışmanın amacı; az gören bireylerde rekreatif faaliyetlere katılmanın önündeki engellerin ve az gören bireylerin algılanan streslerinin incelenmesidir. Bu doğrultuda Rekreatif Faaliyetlere Katılımın Önündeki Engeller ölçeği ve Algılanan Stres ölçeğinden oluşan anket formu 125 az gören bireye uygulanmıştır. Anket kapsamında kullanılan ölçek maddeleri arasındaki içsel tutarlılık Cronbach alpha katsayısı ile ölçülmüştür. Çalışmada Rekreatif Faaliyetlere Katılım Engelleri ölçeğinin yapısal geçerliliği ölçmek amacıyla faktör analizi uygulanmıştır. Rekreatif Faaliyetlere Katılım Engelleri değişkenleri ve Algılanan Stres arasındaki ilişkinin kuvvetini ve yönünü belirlemek amacıyla korelasyon analizi yapılmıştır. Rekreatif Faaliyetlere Katılımın Önündeki Engeller boyutlarının Algılanan Stres üzerindeki etkisini belirlemek amacı ile regresyon analizi gerçekleştirilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgulara göre az gören bireylerin Algılanan Stres düzeylerini etkileyen Rekreatif Faaliyetlere Katılımın Önündeki Engeller değişkenleri Psikolojik ve Sosyal Yetersizlikler, Maddi Yetersizlikler ve Fiziksel Yetersizlikler olarak belirlenmiştir. Algılanan Stres ile Psikolojik ve Sosyal Yetersizlikler ve Maddi Yetersizlikler boyutları arasında pozitif yönde anlamlı bir ilişki belirlenmiştir. Regresyon analizinde elde edilen bulgulara göre, az gören bireylerin Algılanan Stres düzeylerini etkileyen Rekreatif Faaliyetlere Katılım Engelleri değişkenleri Psikolojik ve Sosyal Yetersizlikler ve Maddi Yetersizlikler olarak belirlenmiştir. Bu kapsamda az gören bireylerin de bu faaliyetlere katılıp kazanımlardan faydalanmalarını sağlamak amacıyla az gören bireyin ailesi ve çevresinin daha duyarlı olması ve yerel yönetimlerin bu engellere yönelik geliştirici düzenlemeler gerçekleştirmeleri önerilebilir.

Corrections to “Desire of Use: A Hierarchical Decomposition of Activities and Its Application on Mobility of by Blind and Low-Vision Individuals”

The title of [1] contains a typo. "Desire of Use: A Hierarchical Decomposition of Activities and Its Application on Mobility of Blind and Low-Vision Individuals" is the correct title.

Corrections to "Audomni: Super-Scale Sensory Supplementation to Increase the Mobility of Blind and Low-Vision Individuals-A Pilot Study".

Presents corrections to references in the above name paper.