VisionWay: Accessibility-aware Path Selection for Wayfinding

Project Summary A major challenge faced by People with Visual Impairment (PVI) is wayfinding outside. Existing solutions, such as TappyGuide, leverage a user’s smartphone to generate directions to a destination. However, a barrier is that the followed path may not be accessible because sidewalk features such as potholes, uncontrolled crossing, interrupted sidewalks, and objects are not known in advance. Our goal is to develop a mobile live, local, outside map framework called the VisionWay, customized for PVI-user as a wayfinding tool to analyze, before starting to walk, the accessibility of candidate paths and choose one to the destination. To address this challenge, barrier, and achieve our goal, we assembled a team of men, women, trainees, and members who have lived experience with vision impairment (VI). Our strengths include engineering, computer science, human factor engineering, mixed methods research, implementation science, clinicians including low vision and orientation and mobility specialists (OMS), as well as team members and participants with VI. We designed aims for R61 technology development and feasibility, and R33 prototype expansion. Specifically, in R61, Aim 1: we will study how to measure and detect PVI Accessibility on Sidewalks. R61, Aim 2 we will examine PVI-centered modality for adoption of multimodal path presentation, path scores, and descriptions across various navigation scenario complexities. In R33, Aim 3 we will generalize, integrate, and test the VisionWay framework. Finally, in R33, Aim 4 we will plan for implementation with dissemination and maximize sustainability of this PVI-centered accessible wayfinding map. Upon the successful completion of these aims, our goal is to deliver the VisionWay framework that include multimodal vibro-audio feedback, and live updates of dynamic data that inform about accessibility of pedestrian paths. The expected outcomes include dissemination and sustainability plans for the long-term growth of the proposed VisionWay map deliverable.