This document discusses using virtual reality and augmented reality to simulate retinal diseases and visual impairments in order to help users empathize with people who have disabilities. It describes how VR and AR can be used to overlay simulations of conditions like macular degeneration, glaucoma, and tunnel vision onto video in a VR headset. Researchers have developed systems that do this to test website accessibility. The authors propose creating a 360-degree VR tour of their office overlaid with AR simulations of low vision to help designers understand the experience. They suggest immersive technologies can be an empathy tool if experiences are made widely available through low-cost options like cardboard VR viewers and mobile apps.

1. Through Their Eyes
Using VR to Simulate Retinal Disease
& Empathize with the Disabled
JESSICA HOLT-CARR
WEIWEI HUANG

2. Why, hello…
2
Jessica Holt-Carr
UX Director
Boston Interactive
Jessica Holt-Carr
Us Director
Boston Interactive
Weiwei Huang
Graduate Student
Boston Interactive Intern

3. Our UX Focus
3
INFORMATION
ARCHITECTURE
STRATEGY UX DESIGNRESEARCH

4. 4
Creating a Great User Experience

5. What do you think of when you hear the word
5
disability?

6. 6
DISABILITY
A motor, visual, auditory, or cognitive
condition that impairs, interferes with, or
limits a persons ability to engage in certain
tasks or actions or participate in typical
daily activities and interactions

7. Types of Disabilities
7
Includes people with hearing loss,
or who are completely deaf
AUDITORY
VISUAL
Any kind of vision loss, weather
it’s someone who cannot see at
all or someone who has partial
vision loss
The partial or total loss of function
of a body part, usually a limb or
limbs
MOTOR
COGNITVE
The partial or total loss of function
of a body part, usually a limb or
limbs

8. Impact for those with
Disabilities
8

9. how many people have disabilities in the world
9
15%
Worldwide
19%
In the US

10. world-wide breakdown of visual impairment
10
82%
50+
90%
Low Income

11. 11
Have visual impairments
worldwide
285 Million
Are blind
39 Million
Have Low Vision
246 Million
how many people does low vision affect?

12. Visual Disabilities - Types of Retinal Diseases
12
• Macular Degeneration;
• Diabetic Retinopathy;
• Glaucoma;
• Cataracts;
• Color blindness
(protanopia);
• Diplopia

13. Why Many Fail to Consider This
13
• For most normally sighted, blindness and visual
impairment seem a far issue
• Common activities (such as information access,
mobility, way finding, interaction with the
environment and with other people, etc.)
represents a serious challenge

14. That's kinda a lot of people….
14
Hmmm….

15. So, as a UX Community,
how do we create
experiences for this
population?
QUESTION
#1

16. 16
Eliminated barriers & discrimination for those
with disabilities
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are
part of a series of web accessibility guidelines
WCAG
The Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines (WCAG) are part of a series
of web accessibility guidelines
RESEARCH & USABILITY TESTING

17. How do we empathize with
people with vision
impairment?
QUESTION
#2

18. 18
Ethnographic
research?

19. 19
Interviews?

20. there has to be other ways…..
20
Personas?

21. 21
Low Vision Simulation Kits

22. 22
Low Vision Simulation Kits

23. 23
Low Vision Simulation Kits

24. 24
These are all good, but
there’s got to be a
more innovative way
to do this……

25. But, can we use new
[immersive] experiences to
empathize, and “see
through their eyes”?
QUESTION
#3

26. First, What Do We Mean by Immersive?
26
Virtual Reality is a
3D computer
generated scenario
that a person can
interact with.

27. First, What Do We Mean by Immersive?
27
Augmented Reality
is a type of
technology that adds
digital information on
top of the real world.

28. 28
We Believe Simulating Visual Impairments….
1. May lead to a better understanding of how
individuals with visual impairments perceive the
world around them.
2. Could be a useful design tool for UX Designers to
identify accessibility barrier.
3. So, how can we make this better?

29. 29
We Started Researching
Research Question: Had others already
thought of leveraging immersive technology?
Turns out, Yes.

30. 30
SIMVIZ
Accessibility Inspection of a
smartphone using SIMVIZ.
Uses twin wide angle cameras
with a head mounted display.
Designers cycle through different
types of impairments.

31. 31
What SIMVIZ Simulates

32. 32
Vision Impairment Simulator (Based on Hadamard Product)
The system consists of a video camera
and a VR headset both connected to a
computer.
The video from the camera is modified
by real-time image processing
techniques running on the computer
and the result is projected on the VR
headset.

33. 33
Vision Impairment Simulator (Based on Hadamard Product)

34. 34
Based on Masks and the Hadamard Product
Macular Degeneration Diabetic Retinopathy Hemianopsia
What the user sees:

35. 35
Based on Masks and the Hadamard Product
Central Scotoma Tunnel Vision Migraine Fortification
What the user sees:

36. 36
Based on Masks and the Hadamard Product
Pituitary Tumors Glaucoma
What the user sees:

37. 37
Based on Masks and the Hadamard Product
They Performed a Test

38. Making it Our Own
38

39. 39
Got us thinking, can we develop a
Virtual Reality 360 tour, layering
Augmented Reality on top to simulate
low vision?
+ =

40. 40
Benefits
Develop an internal 360 office
tour to further our innovation UX
lab.
Internal Experience
Allows us to show what vision
impairments really mean both
internally and externally.
Show, Don’t Just Talk

41. 41
So Can We Do Something Similar?

42. 42
Insert Actual Tour Video

43. Enhancing Our UX Lab to an
43

44. Lastly, how can everyone
use immersive tech as an
empathy tool?
LAST QUESTION
#4

45. Easy as Free App Download & Cardboard
45
2 Slide on this solution

46. The end.
46