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• Probing the Gaps in ChatGPT's Live Video Chat for Real-World Assistance for People who are Blind or Visually Impaired

  Ruei-Che Chang, Rosiana Natalie, Wenqian Xu, Jovan Zheng Feng Yap, Anhong Guo · 2025 · ASSETS 2025: 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  This paper evaluates ChatGPT's Advanced Voice with Video feature — OpenAI's state-of-the-art live video AI released in December 2024 — as a real-world assistive tool for blind and visually impaired (BVI) individuals. The researchers conducted an in-person exploratory study with…

  blind · visually impaired · large multimodal models · live video · ChatGPT

• A Recipe for Success? Exploring Strategies for Improving Non-Visual Access to Cooking Instructions

  Franklin Mingzhe Li, Ashley Wang, Patrick Carrington, Shaun K. Kane · 2024 · Proceedings of the 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2024)

  This paper investigates how people with vision impairments access and follow cooking recipes, identifying practices, challenges, and design opportunities for more accessible kitchen technologies. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 blind cooks (ranging…

  blind · visual impairment · cooking accessibility · recipe access · assistive technology

• IMAGE: An Open-Source, Extensible Framework for Deploying Accessible Audio and Haptic Renderings of Web Graphics

  Juliette Regimbal, Jeffrey R. Blum, Cyan Kuo, Jeremy R. Cooperstock · 2024 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper introduces IMAGE (Internet Multimodal Access to Graphical Exploration), an open-source software framework designed to help accessibility practitioners create and deploy audio and haptic representations of web graphics. The authors address a critical problem in…

  web graphics · sonification · haptic feedback · multimodal interaction · open source

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

  Leon Lu, Karen Anne Cochrane, Jin Kang, Audrey Girouard · 2023 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study investigates the challenges blind and low vision (BLV) people face when learning music and identifies personal adaptations and design opportunities for assistive technologies. The researchers conducted one-hour semi-structured interviews with 40 participants across…

  blind · low vision · music learning · music pedagogy · braille music

• Going Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Image Descriptions to Satisfy the Information Wants of People Who are Blind or Have Low Vision

  Abigale Stangl, Nitin Verma, Kenneth R. Fleischmann, Meredith Ringel Morris, Danna Gurari · 2021 · ASSETS '21: The 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

  Current image description practices typically produce a single, one-size-fits-all description for each image, yet the same image can appear across vastly different contexts — news websites, e-commerce platforms, social media feeds, travel sites, and personal photo libraries —…

  image description · alternative text · blind · low vision · context-aware

• Making GIFs Accessible

  Cole Gleason, Amy Pavel, Himalini Gururaj, Kris Kitani, Jeffrey Bigham · 2020 · Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This Carnegie Mellon University study examines the accessibility of GIFs on social media, a visual medium that has become central to online conversation but remains largely inaccessible to people with vision impairments. The researchers conducted a multi-part investigation:…

  GIF accessibility · alternative text · audio description · blind · low 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

• Making Nonvisually: Lessons from the Field

  Cynthia L. Bennett, Abigale Stangl, Alexa F. Siu, Joshua A. Miele · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This experience report shares lessons from a team of researchers, activists, and blind makers who conducted workshops introducing Arduino electronics to blind hobbyists and guided assembly of an accessible voltmeter prototype. The authors — including blind HCI researcher Cynthia…

  maker movement · blind · DIY assistive technology · Arduino · participatory design

• Research to Market Transition of Mobile Assistive Technologies for People with Visual Impairments

  Sergio Mascetti, Dragan Ahmetovic, Cristian Bernareggi · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper examines why so few mobile assistive technology research prototypes for people with visual impairments ever reach end users, and shares practical lessons from the authors’ experience developing and distributing three iOS apps through EveryWare Technologies, a…

  assistive technology · visual impairment · mobile accessibility · technology transfer · blind

• RoboGraphics: Dynamic Tactile Graphics Powered by Mobile Robots

  Darren Guinness, Annika Muehlbradt, Daniel Szafir, Shaun K. Kane · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper introduces RoboGraphics, a novel approach to creating dynamic tactile graphics by combining a touchscreen tablet, static laser-cut tactile overlays, and small mobile robots (Ozobot Bit 2.0, approximately one cubic inch, ~$60 each). Traditional tactile graphics are…

  tactile graphics · robotics · blind · tangible interaction · data visualization

• shapeCAD: An Accessible 3D Modelling Workflow for the Blind and Visually-Impaired Via 2.5D Shape Displays

  Alexa F. Siu, Son Kim, Joshua A. Miele, Sean Follmer · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents shapeCAD, an accessible 3D modelling workflow that enables people who are blind or visually impaired (BVI) to author, explore, and modify 3D models using a combination of declarative programming (OpenSCAD scripts) and a 2.5D tactile shape display for…

  3D printing · blind · low vision · tactile displays · haptic technology

• 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

• GoDonnie: A Robot Programming Language to Improve Orientation and Mobility Skills in People Who are Visually Impaired

  Juliana Damasio Oliveira, Márcia de Borba Campos, Alexandre Amory, Rafael H. Bordini · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This demonstration paper presents GoDonnie, a text-based programming language designed to help people who are visually impaired (PVI) develop both computational thinking and orientation and mobility (O&M) skills simultaneously. GoDonnie is based on Logo, the classic educational…

  orientation and mobility · visual impairment · programming education · robotics · screen readers

• Non-Visual Beats: Redesigning the Groove Pizza

  William Payne, Alex Xu, Amy Hurst, S. Alex Ruthmann · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This demonstration paper describes the accessible redesign of the Groove Pizza, a popular free web-based drum step-sequencer developed by NYU’s Music Experience Design Lab (MusEDLab) that reaches thousands of users per month. The original Groove Pizza uses a circular visual…

  music accessibility · blind · visual impairment · screen readers · sonification

• μGraph: Haptic Exploration and Editing of 3D Chemical Diagrams

  Cristian Bernareggi, Dragan Ahmetovic, Sergio Mascetti · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents μGraph (Multimodal Graph), a system that combines haptic force feedback and speech to enable people who are blind or visually impaired (VIB) to explore and edit three-dimensional structural chemical formulae. Chemical diagrams represent molecular structures…

  haptic technology · STEM accessibility · blind · visual impairment · chemistry education

• Defining Problems of Practices to Advance Inclusive Tactile Media Consumption and Production

  Abigale Stangl, Ann Cunningham, Lou Ann Blake, Tom Yeh · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents findings from three Tactile Art and Graphics Symposia (TAGS) that gathered 64 participants — 49% of whom were blind or had low vision — including artists, museum curators, tactile media designers, access technologists, teachers of the visually impaired…

  tactile graphics · tactile art · blind · low vision · accessible art

• Reading Between the Guidelines: How Commercial Voice Assistant Guidelines Hinder Accessibility for Blind Users

  Stacy M. Branham, Antony Rishin Mukkath Roy · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents a qualitative document review of public-facing voice assistant design guidelines published by five leading commercial vendors — Amazon (Alexa), Google (Google Assistant), Microsoft (Cortana), Apple (Siri), and Alibaba (Xiao AI) — to examine how these…

  voice assistant · blind · visual impairment · conversational user interfaces · design guidelines

• WatchOut: Obstacle Sonification for People with Visual Impairment or Blindness

  Giorgio Presti, Dragan Ahmetovic, Mattia Ducci, Cristian Bernareggi, Luca Ludovico, Adriano Baratè, Federico Avanzini, Sergio Mascetti · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents WatchOut, a sonification technique that conveys real-time information about obstacle characteristics to people who are blind or visually impaired (BVI) through non-verbal sound, enabling them to avoid obstacles while walking. The white cane, the primary…

  sonification · obstacle avoidance · blind · low vision · computer vision

• Automatic Generation and Evaluation of Usable and Secure Audio reCAPTCHA

  Mohit Jain, Rohun Tripathi, Ishita Bhansali, Pratyush Kumar · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents reCAPGen, a system that automatically generates usable and secure audio CAPTCHAs by leveraging the gap between human and machine speech recognition abilities. Visual CAPTCHAs — the dominant form of online human verification — are inherently inaccessible to…

  CAPTCHA · audio accessibility · blind · visual impairment · web accessibility

• BrailleBlocks: Braille Toys for Cross-Ability Collaboration

  Vinitha Gadiraju · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This student research abstract presents BrailleBlocks, a tangible learning system designed to help blind or visually impaired children learn Braille collaboratively with their sighted parents. Braille literacy in the United States is critically low — less than 10% of blind…

  braille · blind · education · children · tangible interaction

• Demo: Expanding Blocks4All with Variables and Functions

  Jacqueline Shao Yi Ong, Nana Adwoa O. Amoah, Alison E. Garrett-Engele, Mariella Irene Page, Katherine R. McCarthy, Lauren R. Milne · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This demonstration paper describes extensions to Blocks4All, an accessible blocks-based programming environment (BBPE) for iPad designed to enable children with visual impairments to learn programming through touchscreen interaction with screen reader support. Traditional BBPEs…

  programming education · blind · low vision · visual impairment · screen readers

• DarkReader: Bridging the Gap Between Perception and Reality of Power Consumption in Smartphones for Blind Users

  Jian Xu, Syed Masum Billah, Roy Shilkrot, Aruna Balasubramanian · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents DarkReader, a modified Android screen reader that truly turns off the smartphone screen while preserving full touchscreen interaction for blind users, saving 24-52% of power compared to the default TalkBack screen reader. The work addresses two problems blind…

  blind · screen readers · TalkBack · VoiceOver · Android

• Making Memes Accessible

  Cole Gleason, Amy Pavel, Xingyu Liu, Patrick Carrington, Lydia B. Chilton, Jeffrey P. Bigham · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents two semi-automatic methods for making internet image macro memes accessible to people with vision impairments: rich alternative text descriptions and audio macro memes. Memes are a pervasive form of online communication, yet they are almost entirely…

  alternative text · blind · low vision · social media · image accessibility

• VERSE: Bridging Screen Readers and Voice Assistants for Enhanced Eyes-Free Web Search

  Alexandra Vtyurina, Adam Fourney, Meredith Ringel Morris, Leah Findlater, Ryen W. White · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper identifies the complementary strengths and weaknesses of screen readers and voice assistants (VAs) for blind web searchers, then presents VERSE (Voice Exploration, Retrieval, and SEarch), a prototype that merges the best of both technologies. An online survey of 53…

  screen readers · voice assistant · blind · web search · information retrieval

• CaBot: Designing and Evaluating an Autonomous Navigation Robot for Blind People

  João Guerreiro, Daisuke Sato, Saki Asakawa, Huixu Dong, Kris M. Kitani, Chieko Asakawa · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2019)

  This paper presents CaBot (Carry-on roBot), an autonomous suitcase-shaped navigation robot designed to guide blind people to destinations in unfamiliar indoor environments while avoiding obstacles. Unlike smartphone navigation apps that provide turn-by-turn instructions but…

  navigation robot · blind · orientation and mobility · haptic feedback · LiDAR