Glossary

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VQA(also: Visual Question Answering)

VQA (Visual Question Answering) is an AI task in which a system answers natural-language questions about the content of an image. In assistive contexts, VQA systems such as Be My AI, Seeing AI, and Aira let blind and low-vision users ask about their visual surroundings - from…

Veering(also: Lateral Drift)

The tendency of blind and visually impaired pedestrians to gradually drift away from a straight path while walking, resulting in a curved trajectory rather than a direct line. Veering is a well-documented phenomenon in orientation and mobility research, caused by the absence of…

Virtual Acoustic Environment(also: Audio Virtual Environment, Acoustic Virtual Environment)

A computer-generated environment that uses audio as the primary medium for representing spaces, objects, and interactions, enabling users to navigate and interact with a virtual world through sound. Virtual acoustic environments are particularly valuable for blind users,…

Vision Impairment(also: Visual Impairment, VI)

An umbrella term for any reduction in visual function — including low vision, blindness, and functional limitations that affect everyday tasks — regardless of cause. The World Health Organization distinguishes between distance and near vision impairment and further classifies…

Visual Interpretation(also: AI Visual Interpretation, Visual Interpretation Application)

The task of translating visual content — a scene, object, document, interface, or image — into a form accessible to a blind or low-vision user, typically spoken or written description, answers to questions, or actionable guidance. Visual interpretation systems may be…

Visual Prosthetic(also: Visual Prosthesis, Vision Prosthetic)

A device or system that provides visual information to people who are blind or have severe visual impairments through alternative sensory channels or direct neural stimulation. Visual prosthetics range from smartphone apps that convert visual data into audio or haptic feedback…

Voice Interface(also: Speech Interface, Voice User Interface, VUI)

An interface that allows users to interact with a system using spoken natural language commands rather than keyboard, mouse, or touch input. Voice interfaces range from simple command-and-control systems that recognise fixed phrases to conversational assistants that interpret…

Voice Usability(also: Auditory Usability, Non-Visual Web Usability)

The degree to which a web page, application, or document is usable when accessed through a voice browser or screen reader — the audio-first counterpart to traditional visual usability. Voice usability combines structural quality (navigability — how quickly a user can reach…

Volumetric Symbol(also: 3D Symbol, Volumetric Icon)

A small three-dimensional object used on a tactile or audio-tactile map to represent a category of place or facility — for example, a distinct shape for a restroom, elevator, information desk, or exhibition entrance. Research on tactile cartography has shown that blind map users…

Window Shopping(also: Recreational window-shopping, Browsing)

The casual practice of looking at shops, displays, or goods without a specific purchase in mind — social activity valued for its own sake as much as for any eventual transaction. Accessibility research frames window-shopping as a form of non-instrumental exploration that is…