“A Mobile VR Application for People With Visual Impairments to Explore Virtual Environments “

Name: Bin Yang, Kelvin Wu

Mentor: Hao Tang

Abstract: Finding a way to overcome blindness has been one of humanity’s greatest challenges. Recently studies by Cornell and Microsoft research introduced a new technology which utilizes a desktop Virtual Reality (VR) device and a special controller to simulate how a B/VIP uses a white cane to explore their surroundings. Inspired by them, we developed an iOS mobile application, making VR more accessible to B/VIP users. The app allows the users to explore and navigate 3D virtual maps by using their smartphones as a white cane. Using Virtual and Augmented Reality, the app provides users auditory feedback as well as haptic, vibrotactile feedback whenever the virtual cane comes in contact with objects in the virtual environment. This design allows B/VIP users to physically explore and navigate in a virtual world, with an enhanced immersive VR experience. This technology can prove to be helpful in aiding B/VIP in getting familiar with the layout of indoor environments, navigating through real space, or even for entertainment purposes. As of now, we mainly focus on how effective this software is in recreating the real world feel in order to determine the feasibility of using this technology as well as how to improve it and overcome the limitations that come with this kind of technology.

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