Wheelchair User

A person who uses a manual or powered wheelchair as their primary means of mobility. In VR accessibility research, wheelchair users face specific challenges including: controllers that require both hands (preventing simultaneous wheelchair operation), HMD cables that can catch in wheels, seated position affecting body tracking and camera recognition, and the question of whether and how to represent the wheelchair in virtual environments. Research shows wheelchair users often want their wheelchairs depicted as part of their identity in social VR, and that the style of wheelchair representation matters (e.g., preferring sports wheelchairs over hospital-style depictions).