Review of substitutive assistive tools and technologies for people with visual impairments: recent advancements and prospects

Abstract

The development of many tools and technologies for people with visual impairment has become a major priority in the field of assistive technology research. However, many of these technology advancements have limitations in terms of the human aspects of the user experience (e.g., usability, learnability, and time to user adaptation) as well as difficulties in translating research prototypes into production. Also, there was no clear distinction between the assistive aids of adults and children, as well as between “partial impairment” and “total blindness”. As a result of these limitations, the produced aids have not gained much popularity and the intended users are still hesitant to utilise them. This paper presents a comprehensive review of substitutive interventions that aid in adapting to vision loss, centred on laboratory research studies to assess user-system interaction and system validation. Depending on the primary cueing feedback signal offered to the user, these technology aids are categorized as visual, haptics, or auditory-based aids. The context of use, cueing feedback signals, and participation of visually impaired people in the evaluation are all considered while discussing these aids. Based on the findings, a set of recommendations is suggested to assist the scientific community in addressing persisting challenges and restrictions faced by both the totally blind and partially sighted people.

Smart decision support system for keratoconus severity staging using corneal curvature and thinnest pachymetry indices

“…A user-centered, iterative approach [ 44 ] was applied in the development of the proposed system, ensuring the continuous involvement of potential end users throughout the process. Figure 8 illustrates a simplified flow diagram of this process, with its distinct phases briefly described as follows.…”

“…The proposed system, utilizing an ensemble machine model and three Pentacam corneal indices, aims to assess KC severity before visual impairment occurs in a timely manner. A user-centered, iterative development methodology [ 44 ] is employed to build the proposed system, ensuring the ongoing engagement of potential end-users (ophthalmologists) throughout the development process. A transparent approach based on expert opinion is adopted to feature selection, model development and validation tests.…”