More Like this

1. User experience of assistive apps among people with visual impairment

   https://doi.org/10.3233/tad-220377  

   Kim, Hyung Nam (August 2022, Technology and Disability)

   BACKGROUND: Today, various emerging assistive applications (apps) running on smartphones have been introduced such as Seeing AI, TapTapSee, and BeMyEyes apps. The assistive apps are designed to assist people with visual impairment in navigating unfamiliar environments, reading text, identifying objects and persons. Yet, little is known about how those with visual impairment perceive the assistive apps. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to advance knowledge of user experience with those assistive apps. METHODS: To address the knowledge gap, this study conducted phone interviews with a convenience sample of 30 individuals with visual impairment. RESULTS: The results indicated that those with visual impairment showed a range of preferences, needs, and concerns about user interfaces and interactions with the assistive apps. DISCUSSIONS: Given their needs and concerns, this study offered a set of facilitators to promote user adoption of the assistive apps, which should be valuable guidance to user interface/interaction designers in the field. 

   more » « less
2. Using Personas with Visual Impairments to Explore the Design of an Accessible Self-Driving Vehicle Human-Machine Interface

   Brinkley, J. (January 2021, Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting)

   Recent reports have suggested that most self-driving vehicle technology being developed is not currently accessible to users with disabilities. We purport that this problem may be at least partially attributable to knowledge gaps in practice-oriented user-centered design research. Missing, we argue, are studies that demonstrate the practical application of user-centered design methodologies in capturing the needs of users with disabilities in the design of automotive systems specifically. We have investigated user-centered design, specifically the use of personas, as a methodological tool to inform the design of a self-driving vehicle human-machine interface for blind and low vision users. We then explore the use of these derived personas in a series of participatory design sessions involving visually impaired co-designers. Our findings suggest that a robust, multi-method UCD process culminating with persona development may be effective in capturing the conceptual model of persons with disabilities and informing the design of automotive system. 

   more » « less
3. Defogger: A Visual Analysis Approach for Data Exploration of Sensitive Data Protected by Differential Privacy

   https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2024.3456304  

   Wang, Xumeng; Jiao, Shuangcheng; Bryan, Chris (January 2024, IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics)

   Differential privacy ensures the security of individual privacy but poses challenges to data exploration processes because the limited privacy budget incapacitates the flexibility of exploration and the noisy feedback of data requests leads to confusing uncertainty. In this study, we take the lead in describing corresponding exploration scenarios, including underlying requirements and available exploration strategies. To facilitate practical applications, we propose a visual analysis approach to the formulation of exploration strategies. Our approach applies a reinforcement learning model to provide diverse suggestions for exploration strategies according to the exploration intent of users. A novel visual design for representing uncertainty in correlation patterns is integrated into our prototype system to support the proposed approach. Finally, we implemented a user study and two case studies. The results of these studies verified that our approach can help develop strategies that satisfy the exploration intent of users. 

   more » « less
4. Participatory Design in the Classroom: Exploring the Design of an Autonomous Vehicle Human-Machine Interface with a Visually Impaired Co-Designer

   Huff, E.; Lucaites, K.; Roberts, A; Brinkley, J (January 2020, Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting)

   Self-driving vehicles are the latest innovation in improving personal mobility and road safety by removing arguably error-prone humans from driving-related tasks. Such advances can prove especially beneficial for people who are blind or have low vision who cannot legally operate conventional motor vehicles. Missing from the related literature, we argue, are studies that describe strategies for vehicle design for these persons. We present a case study of the participatory design of a prototype for a self-driving vehicle human-machine interface (HMI) for a graduate-level course on inclusive design and accessible technology. We reflect on the process of working alongside a co-designer, a person with a visual disability, to identify user needs, define design ideas, and produce a low-fidelity prototype for the HMI. This paper may benefit researchers interested in using a similar approach for designing accessible autonomous vehicle technology. INTRODUCTION The rise of autonomous vehicles (AVs) may prove to be one of the most significant innovations in personal mobility of the past century. Advances in automated vehicle technology and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) specifically, may have a significant impact on road safety and a reduction in vehicle accidents (Brinkley et al., 2017; Dearen, 2018). According to the Department of Transportation (DoT), automated vehicles could help reduce road accidents caused by human error by as much as 94% (SAE International, n.d.). In addition to reducing traffic accidents and saving lives and property, autonomous vehicles may also prove to be of significant value to persons who cannot otherwise operate conventional motor vehicles. AVs may provide the necessary mobility, for instance, to help create new employment opportunities for nearly 40 million Americans with disabilities (Claypool et al., 2017; Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 2019), for instance. Advocates for the visually impaired specifically have expressed how “transformative” this technology can be for those who are blind or have significant low vision (Winter, 2015); persons who cannot otherwise legally operate a motor vehicle. While autonomous vehicles have the potential to break down transportation 

   more » « less
5. Individual differences in emotional intelligence skills of people with visual impairment and loneliness amid the COVID-19 pandemic

   https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196211013860  

   Kim, Hyung Nam; Sutharson, Sam Jotham (January 2021, British Journal of Visual Impairment)

   null (Ed.)

   In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, public health interventions such as social distancing and stay-at-home orders have widely been implemented, which is anticipated to contribute to reducing the spread of COVID-19. On the contrary, there is a concern that the public health interventions may increase the level of loneliness. Loneliness and social isolation are public health risks, closely associated with serious medical conditions. As COVID-19 is new to us today, little is known about emotional well-being among people with visual impairment during the COVID-19 pandemic. To address the knowledge gap, this study conducted phone interviews with a convenience sample of 31 people with visual impairment. The interview incorporated the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale (version 3) and the trait meta-mood scale (TMMS) to measure loneliness and emotional intelligence skills, respectively. This study found that people with visual impairment were vulnerable to the feeling of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic and showed individual differences in emotional intelligence skills by different degrees of loneliness. Researchers and health professionals should consider offering adequate coping strategies to those with visual impairment amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

   more » « less