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• Beyond the Cane: Describing Urban Scenes to Blind People for Mobility Tasks

  Karin M. P. Hoogsteen, Florian Mathis, Garreth W. Tigwell, Alastair R. Beresford, Mohamed Khamis · 2022 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This research investigates what environmental information is most useful for blind pedestrians navigating urban spaces, moving beyond obstacle-avoidance to understand comprehensive scene description needs. The authors conducted two experiments with 13 cane-using blind…

  blindness · mobility · orientation and mobility · navigation · scene description

• Corridor-Walker: Mobile Indoor Walking Assistance for Blind People to Avoid Obstacles and Recognize Intersections

  Masaki Kuribayashi, Seita Kayukawa, Jayakorn Vongkulbhisal, Chieko Asakawa, Daisuke Sato, Hironobu Takagi, Shigeo Morishima · 2022 · Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction (Proc. ACM Hum.-Comput. Interact., Vol. 6, MHCI, Article 179)

  Walking an indoor corridor independently is deceptively hard for a blind traveller. Two problems compound: avoiding obstacles stacked against the wall (the same wall the traveller uses as a tactile guide) and recognising when an intersection has arrived and which directions it…

  indoor navigation · blind navigation · obstacle avoidance · intersection detection · LiDAR

• Investigating the Navigational Habits of People who are Blind in India

  Anirudh Nagraj, Ravi Kuber, Foad Hamidi, Raghavendra SG Prasad · 2021 · The 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2021)

  This paper presents a qualitative study of the navigational experiences of 14 people who are legally blind in the Bangalore metropolitan area of India, a low and middle income country (LMIC) where infrastructure conditions differ substantially from the high income countries…

  visual impairments · blindness · navigation · wayfinding · assistive technology

• Towards Designing Mobile Apps for Independent Travel: Exploring Current Barriers and Opportunities for Supporting Young Adults with Down's Syndrome

  A. M. Khan, P. Langdon, J. Bichard, P. J. Clarkson, S. Tunnard, L. Dubiel, P. Dunlop, M. Lennon · 2021 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This comprehensive study uses a three-cycle Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology to understand barriers to independent travel for young adults with Down's Syndrome (DS) and develop a smartphone app prototype to address them. The research involved young adults with DS…

  Down syndrome · intellectual disabilities · independent travel · public transport accessibility · wayfinding

• LineChaser: A Smartphone-Based Navigation System for Blind People to Stand in Lines

  Masaki Kuribayashi, Seita Kayukawa, Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa, Shigeo Morishima · 2021 · Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

  Standing in line is a mundane-looking task — at a cashier, bus stop, or airport check-in — but for a blind person it is a brittle, anxiety-ridden sequence: find where the line currently ends (a position that moves), join it without bumping into anyone, and then shuffle forward…

  line detection · pedestrian detection · orientation and mobility · visual impairment · indoor navigation

• Indoor Localization for Visually Impaired Travelers Using Computer Vision on a Smartphone

  Giovanni Fusco, James M. Coughlan · 2020 · Proceedings of the 17th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents a computer vision-based indoor localization system that runs as a real-time app on a conventional iPhone, designed to help blind and visually impaired travelers navigate indoor spaces where GPS is unavailable. The system combines several technologies into a…

  indoor navigation · wayfinding · computer vision · visual impairment · blindness

• "If you've gone straight, now, you must turn left" - Exploring the use of a tangible interface in a collaborative treasure hunt for people with visual impairments

  Quentin Chibaudel, Wafa Johal, Bernard Oriola, Marc J-M Macé, Pierre Dillenbourg, Valérie Tartas, Christophe Jouffrais · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper from a collaboration between IRIT (Toulouse), UNSW Sydney, EPFL, and Université Toulouse investigates how tangible user interfaces — specifically a small graspable robot called the Cellulo — can mediate collaboration between two people with visual impairments in a…

  visual impairments · tangible user interface · collaborative learning · spatial cognition · wayfinding

• Understanding In-Situ Use of Commonly Available Navigation Technologies by People with Visual Impairments

  Vaishnav Kameswaran, Jatin Gureja, Joyojeet Pal, Sile O'Modhrain, Tiffany L. Ye, Jon Froehlich, Leah Findlater, Meredith Ringel Morris · 2020 · ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents a qualitative study investigating how people with visual impairments use commonly available navigation technologies in their daily lives. Conducted by researchers at Microsoft Research and the University of Michigan, the study involved semi-structured…

  visual impairments · navigation · wayfinding · assistive technology · complementarity

• ThermalCane: Exploring Thermotactile Directional Cues on Cane-Grip for Non-Visual Navigation

  Arshad Nasser, Kai-Ning Keng, Kening Zhu · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper presents ThermalCane, a white-cane grip augmented with flexible Peltier thermoelectric modules that provide thermal directional cues for blind and visually impaired (BVI) navigation. While existing haptic navigation aids primarily use vibrotactile feedback (vibration…

  visual accessibility · navigation · haptic technology · white cane · assistive technology

• Travelling more independently: A Requirements Analysis for Accessible Journeys to Unknown Buildings for People with Visual Impairments

  Christin Engel, Karin Müller, Angela Constantinescu, Claudia Loitsch, Vanessa Petrausch, Gerhard Weber, Rainer Stiefelhagen · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This paper presents a comprehensive survey with 106 people with visual impairments (63 blind, 43 low vision; ages 8-77, mean 46; predominantly German) examining how they plan and carry out journeys to unknown buildings. Unlike previous studies that focused on isolated aspects of…

  visual accessibility · blindness and low vision · indoor navigation · wayfinding · orientation and mobility

• Keep Your Distance: A Playful Haptic Navigation Wearable for Individuals with Deafblindness

  James Gay, Moritz Umfahrer, Arthur Theil, Lea Buchweitz, Eva Lindell, Li Guo, Nils-Krister Persson, Oliver Korn · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This demonstration paper presents a haptic wearable vest designed to support independent navigation for people with deafblindness — a dual sensory impairment where the combination of sight and hearing loss makes it difficult for one sense to compensate for the other. Most…

  deafblindness · haptic technology · vibrotactile feedback · navigation · wearable technology

• PLACES: A Framework for Supporting Blind and Partially Sighted People in Outdoor Leisure Activities

  Maryam Bandukda, Catherine Holloway, Aneesha Singh, Nadia Berthouze · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '20)

  This paper investigates the experiences and needs of blind and partially sighted people (BPSP) when engaging in outdoor leisure activities, particularly visiting parks and natural environments. The researchers conducted a multi-method qualitative study comprising an online…

  blindness · outdoor accessibility · wayfinding · leisure · navigation

• O&M Indoor Virtual Environments for People Who Are Blind: A Systematic Literature Review

  Agebson Rocha Façanha, Ticianne Darin, Windson Viana, Jaime Sánchez · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This systematic literature review examines virtual environments designed to support indoor orientation and mobility (O&M) training for people who are blind. The authors analyzed 51 papers describing 32 distinct O&M virtual environments, filtering from an initial pool of 987…

  orientation and mobility · O&M training · virtual environments · blindness · visual impairment

• Use of an Indoor Navigation System by Sighted and Blind Travelers: Performance Similarities across Visual Status and Age

  Nicholas A. Giudice, Benjamin A. Guenther, Toni M. Kaplan, Shane M. Anderson, Robert J. Knuesel, Joseph F. Cioffi · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study evaluates an indoor navigation system using commercial iOS devices and Bluetooth beacons to guide blind and visually impaired (BVI) travelers through complex university buildings. The research compared two navigation conditions: a system-aided mode where participants…

  indoor navigation · blind and low vision · wayfinding · Bluetooth beacons · older adults

• Mental Maps and the Use of Sensory Information by Blind and Partially Sighted People

  Marion Hersh · 2020 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This qualitative study addresses a significant gap in understanding how blind and partially sighted people form and use spatial representations (mental maps) during real-world travel. Through semi-structured interviews with 100 participants across five countries (France, Italy,…

  blindness · low vision · orientation and mobility · wayfinding · cognitive maps

• SafeExit4All: An Inclusive Indoor Emergency Evacuation System for People With Disabilities

  Seyed Ali Cheraghi, Anup Sharma, Vinod Namboodiri, Güler Arsal · 2019 · Proceedings of the 16th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents SafeExit4All, a smartphone-based emergency evacuation system designed to help people with disabilities independently find safe exits from indoor spaces during emergencies such as fires, tornadoes, and active shooter situations. The authors identify a critical…

  indoor navigation · emergency evacuation · wayfinding · visual impairment · mobility impairment

• GuideCall: Affordable and Trustworthy Video Call-Based Remote Assistance for People with Visual Impairments

  Naveen M. Ravindran, Seyed Ali Cheraghi, Vinod Namboodiri, Rakesh Babu · 2019 · Proceedings of the 16th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This demonstration paper presents GuideCall, a free Android application that enables blind or visually impaired (BVI) individuals to get remote visual assistance through video calls with trusted personal contacts. The system addresses two key limitations of existing remote…

  visual impairment · blindness · remote assistance · video calling · assistive technology

• An Independent and Interactive Museum Experience for Blind People

  Saki Asakawa, João Guerreiro, Daisuke Sato, Hironobu Takagi, Dragan Ahmetovic, Desi Gonzalez, Kris M. Kitani, Chieko Asakawa · 2019 · Proceedings of the 16th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper presents a prototype system for supporting independent, interactive museum visits by blind people, deployed and evaluated at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. The system combines indoor navigation with context-aware art appreciation through continuous tracking of…

  museum accessibility · blindness · indoor navigation · BLE beacon · audio description

• AccessMap Website Demonstration: Individualized, Accessible Pedestrian Trip Planning at Scale

  Nicholas Bolten, Anat Caspi · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This demonstration paper presents AccessMap, an open-source, city-scale interactive web map that provides individualized pedestrian infrastructure information and automatic trip planning for people with diverse mobility needs. The core problem is that traditional maps and…

  accessible mapping · pedestrian accessibility · mobility impairment · wheelchair accessibility · wayfinding

• Sidewalk, A Wayfinding Message Syntax for People with a Visual Impairment

  Joey van der Bie, Christina Jaschinski, Somaya Ben Allouch · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This poster paper introduces Sidewalk, a structured wayfinding message syntax designed to improve navigation instructions for people with visual impairments (PVI) using mobile applications. The authors argue that traditional turn-by-turn navigation apps fail PVI because they…

  visual impairment · wayfinding · navigation · natural language · mobile accessibility

• Closing the Gap: Designing for the Last-Few-Meters Wayfinding Problem for People with Visual Impairments

  Manaswi Saha, Alexander J. Fiannaca, Melanie Kneisel, Edward Cutrell, Meredith Ringel Morris · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper comprehensively investigates the last-few-meters wayfinding problem — the gap between where GPS navigation ends (within approximately 5 meters of a destination) and where a person with visual impairment actually needs to arrive (the specific door, entrance, or…

  blindness · wayfinding · navigation · GPS · computer vision

• 3D Printed Maps and Icons for Inclusion: Testing in the Wild by People who are Blind or have Low Vision

  Leona Holloway, Kim Marriott, Matthew Butler, Samuel Reinders · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This study investigated the use of 3D printed maps at a real-world public event — the 2019 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show — to evaluate their suitability for people who are blind or have low vision (BLV). Conducted in collaboration with Guide Dogs Victoria (GDV),…

  tactile graphics · blind · low vision · 3D printing · orientation and mobility

• Leveraging Augmented Reality to Create Apps for People with Visual Disabilities: A Case Study in Indoor Navigation

  Chris Yoon, Ryan Louie, Jeremy Ryan, MinhKhang Vu, Hyegi Bang, William Derksen, Paul Ruvolo · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents Clew, an iOS app that leverages Apple’s ARKit augmented reality framework to help people who are blind or visually impaired (B/VI) navigate indoor environments — a setting where GPS is unreliable (accuracy drops to ~5m+ indoors). Clew uses visual-inertial…

  augmented reality · indoor navigation · orientation and mobility · blind · low vision

• Airport Accessibility and Navigation Assistance for People with Visual Impairments

  João Guerreiro, Dragan Ahmetovic, Daisuke Sato, Kris Kitani, Chieko Asakawa · 2019 · Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

  This paper investigates whether a BLE-beacon-based smartphone navigation system can enable visually impaired travelers to move through an airport independently — a setting where they are currently required to rely on airline-provided sighted escorts to reach the gate, and where…

  airport accessibility · blind navigation · indoor navigation · orientation and mobility · visual impairment

• How Context and User Behavior Affect Indoor Navigation Assistance for Blind People

  João Guerreiro, Eshed Ohn-Bar, Dragan Ahmetovic, Kris Kitani, Chieko Asakawa · 2018 · Proceedings of the 15th International Web for All Conference (W4A 2018)

  This short paper presents a fine-grained thematic analysis of user behaviour during indoor assisted navigation to understand when and why navigation errors occur even when the underlying localisation system is accurate. The research uses NavCog, a smartphone-based indoor…

  indoor navigation · blind · orientation and mobility · guide dog · white cane