Towards Sound Accessibility in Virtual Reality

Jain, Dhruv; Junuzovic, Sasa; Ofek, Eyal; Sinclair, Mike; Porter, John R.; Yoon, Chris; Machanavajhala, Swetha; Morris, Meredith Ringel

doi:10.1145/3462244.3479946

Cited by 18 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Interdependence and customization have been highlighted as valuable design elements for improving VR accessibility for users with limited mobility [48]. Customization has also been pointed out as a key way to improve accessibility in VR for people who are deaf or hard of hearing [20,37]. Our findings showed that systems that encourage interdependence and customization are valuable for people with photosensitivity in non-immersive situations, like using social media or watching films.…”

Section: Similarities Among Different Accessibility Needs In Vrmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…A significant amount of prior work has focused on accessibility for users with low vision or blindness in VR [19,38,60,72,[76][77][78]. Accessibility in AR/VR for users who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) has been examined in the context of live theater [69] and education [22,54], in addition to recent work exploring the design space of tactic and visual methods to replace sound cues in VR [37,44]. Managing the physical equipment associated with current VR technology, such as controllers, headsets, and cords, can be barriers to accessibility for people with mobility impairments [48].…”

Section: Safety and Accessibility In Vrmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Barriers to Photosensitive Accessibility in Virtual Reality

South,

Yildirim,

Pavel

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Virtual reality (VR) systems have grown in popularity as an immersive modality for daily activities such as gaming, socializing, and working. However, this technology is not always accessible for people with photosensitive epilepsy (PSE) who may experience seizures or other adverse symptoms when exposed to certain light stimuli (e.g., flashes or strobes). How can VR be made more inclusive and safer for people with PSE? In this paper, we report on a series of semi-structured interviews about current perceptions of accessibility in VR among people with PSE. We identify 12 barriers to accessibility that fall into four categories: physical VR equipment, VR interfaces and content, specific VR applications, and individual differences in sensitivity. Our findings allow researchers and practitioners to better understand the meaning of photosensitive accessibility in the context of VR, and provide a step towards enabling people with PSE to enjoy the benefits offered by immersive technology.

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Section: Similarities Among Different Accessibility Needs In Vrmentioning

confidence: 65%

Section: Safety and Accessibility In Vrmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers to Photosensitive Accessibility in Virtual Reality

South,

Yildirim,

Pavel

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Interdependence and customization have been highlighted as valuable design elements for improving VR accessibility for users with limited mobility [124]. Customization has also been pointed out as a key way to improve accessibility in VR for people who are deaf or hard of hearing [53,92]. Our findings showed that systems that encourage interdependence and customization are valuable for people with photosensitivity in non-immersive situations, like using social media or watching films.…”

Section: Similarities Among Different Accessibility Needs In Vrmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…A significant amount of prior work has focused on accessibility for users with low vision or blindness in VR [49,94,160,193,206,204,205]. Accessibility in AR/VR for users who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) has been examined in the context of live theater [181] and education [60,137], in addition to recent work exploring the design space of tactic and visual methods to replace sound cues in VR [92,107]. Managing the physical equipment associated with current VR technology, such as controllers, headsets, and cords, can be barriers to accessibility for people with mobility impairments [124].…”

Section: Safety and Accessibility In Vrmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Providing in-depth customization options for interaction techniques is helpful for ensuring accessibility for users who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) [92] or have mobility limitations [124]. Similar practices of enabling more in-depth customization of visual displays in terms of brightness, color correction, or contrast would make digital platforms more accessible for the specific needs of people with PSE.…”

Section: Future Work 721 Conflicting and Complementary Accessibility ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Designing for photosensitive accessibility across social, interactive, and immersive digital platforms

South

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Photosensitive epilepsy (PSE) is a neurological condition in which seizures are triggered by certain visual stimuli, such as flashes, strobes, or bright patterns. People who have been diagnosed with photosensitive epilepsy often struggle to use digital technology safely, as strobing lights can appear on screens without warning in ways that are difficult to anticipate and avoid. Given the severe medical complications and adverse outcomes associated with seizures, it is fundamental that digital platforms have systems to detect and mitigate seizure-inducing content before it reaches users with photosensitivity. However, detecting seizure-inducing content on digital platforms can be complicated due to variations between technology modalities, unpredictable sources of seizure-inducing flicker, and differences in sensitivity levels among people with PSE. This dissertation examines design considerations for minimizing photosensitive risk in digital spaces that are social, interactive, and even immersive in nature. This work establishes a theoretical foundation for incorporating photosensitive epilepsy into the broader research area of digital accessibility, building on prior work in human-computer interaction research. Through software prototypes and interviews with people with PSE, this work explores the benefits and limitations of creator-, consumer-, and platform-driven systems for detecting and mitigating photosensitive risk across digital platforms. Finally, this work encompasses several empirical studies that contribute to broader knowledge about the prevalence and presentation of seizure-inducing content on digital platforms. am forever grateful for the encouragement and support shown by Bruce Draper and Ross Beveridge in advising my undergraduate thesis efforts on the topic of photosensitive accessibility. I am also grateful to Janne Lindqvist for his advice and guidance while at the DIMACS REU at Rutgers University, which was a formative experience in learning what research can be. I have been lucky to find talented and kind collaborators and peers at Northeastern University and beyond over the past six years: thank you to

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Inclusive Immersion: a review of efforts to improve accessibility in virtual reality, augmented reality and the metaverse

Dudley,

Yin,

Garaj

et al. 2023

Virtual Reality

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Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) afford new forms of work and leisure. While affordable and effective VR and AR headsets are now available, neither technology has achieved widespread user adoption. However, we predict continual technological advances and cost reductions are likely to lead to wider diffusion in society. Bridging the chasm from the early adopters to the early majority will require careful consideration of the needs of a more casual and diverse user population. In particular, it is desirable to minimise the exclusion of potential users based on their unique needs and maximise the inclusion of users in these novel immersive experiences. Ensuring equitable access to the emerging metaverse further reinforces the need to consider the diverse needs of users. We refer to this objective of maximising the accessibility and enjoyment potential of users of VR, AR and the metaverse as Inclusive Immersion. This paper reviews the research and commercial landscape seeking to address the accessibility needs of users in VR and AR. The survey provides the basis for a synthesis of the emerging strategies for maximising the inclusiveness of VR and AR applications. Finally, we identify several unaddressed accessibility challenges requiring further research attention. Our paper consolidates disparate efforts related to promoting accessible VR and AR and delivers directions for advancing research in this area.

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Towards Sound Accessibility in Virtual Reality

Cited by 18 publications

References 50 publications

Barriers to Photosensitive Accessibility in Virtual Reality

Barriers to Photosensitive Accessibility in Virtual Reality

Designing for photosensitive accessibility across social, interactive, and immersive digital platforms

Inclusive Immersion: a review of efforts to improve accessibility in virtual reality, augmented reality and the metaverse

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