Exploring the Opportunities of Haptic Technology in the Practice of Visually Impaired and Blind Sound Creatives

Abstract

Visually impaired and blind (VIB) people as a community face several access barriers when using technology. For users of specialist technology, such as digital audio workstations (DAWs), these access barriers become increasingly complex—often stemming from a vision-centric approach to user interface design. Haptic technologies may present opportunities to leverage the sense of touch to address these access barriers. In this article, we describe a participant study involving interviews with twenty VIB sound creatives who work with DAWs. Through a combination of semi-structured interviews and a thematic analysis of the interview data, we identify key issues relating to haptic audio and accessibility from the perspective of VIB sound creatives. We introduce the technical and practical barriers that VIB sound creatives encounter, which haptic technology may be capable of addressing. We also discuss the social and cultural aspects contributing to VIB people’s uptake of new technology and access to the music technology industry.

A Type of Human-Computer Collaborative Device Suitable for Children’s Reading

“…The advancement of human-computer interaction technology has broadened its application in medical and educational fields. Notably, in treating childhood autism, attention disorders, depression, and anxiety, this technology has demonstrated significant potential [4] [5]. However, reading difficulties remain a commonly overlooked issue in everyday life and learning.…”

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Integration of Smart Cane with Social Media: Design of a New Step Counter Algorithm for Cane

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“…To gain access to social media platforms, blind people significantly use these devices. Such tools provide text-to-speech abilities and Braille output, enabling the users to interact with the content [12].…”

“…We firmly believe that fostering a sense of independence and belonging in the visually impaired community is not just a goal; it is a societal responsibility. With our pioneering method, we are dedicated to linking the physical challenges faced by the visually impaired with the limitless potential for an active and socially connected existence [9][10][11][12].…”