Impact of Apps as Assistive Devices for Visually Impaired Persons

Abstract

The pervasiveness of mobile devices and other associated technologies has affected all aspects of our daily lives. People with visual impairments are no exception, as they increasingly tend to rely on mobile apps for assistance with various visual tasks in daily life. Compared to dedicated visual aids, mobile apps offer advantages such as affordability, versatility, portability, and ubiquity. We have surveyed hundreds of mobile apps of potential interest to people with vision impairments, either released as special assistive apps claiming to help in tasks such as text or object recognition ( n = 68), digital accessibility ( n = 84), navigation ( n = 44), and remote sighted service ( n = 4), among others, or marketed as general camera magnification apps that can be used for visual assistance ( n = 77). While assistive apps as a whole received positive feedback from visually impaired users, as reported in various studies, evaluations of the usability of every app were typically limited to user reviews, which are often not scientifically informative. Rigorous evaluation studies on the effect of vision assistance apps on daily task performance and quality of life are relatively rare. Moreover, evaluation criteria are difficult to establish, given the heterogeneity of the visual tasks and visual needs of the users. In addition to surveying literature on vision assistance apps, this review discusses the feasibility and necessity of conducting scientific research to understand visual needs and methods to evaluate real-world benefits. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Vision Science, Volume 9 is September 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Field Evaluation of a Mobile App for Assisting Blind and Visually Impaired Travelers to Find Bus Stops

“…The field of smartphone navigation aids, and specifically for transit access for BVI people has seen a tremendous growth over the past few years with the introduction of a large number of apps. 3 – 5 Whereas location-based navigation has its own advantages and limitations, utilization of object detection/recognition technology and its integration with location services may be more effective in guiding BVI travelers. 31 In this regard, the All_Aboard app could potentially solve the last 30 feet problem frequently faced by smartphone location-based apps when used together with macro-navigation apps for the task of navigating to bus stops.…”

“…Navigation apps make up one of the major groups of vision assistance mobile apps available in the App store and Play store. 3 Using smartphone apps, one can plan a route and get detailed instructions on mobile devices for point-to-point navigation via public transit. On the other hand, micro-navigation – navigating precisely to the desired destination at any stage of the journey – remains a largely unsolved issue for BVI individuals.…”

Innovative Solutions for Learners With Visual Impairments

“…The development and deployment of assistive technologies for visually impaired learners is a dynamic and evolving field. Pundlik, Shivshanker, and Luo (2023) emphasized the impact of mobile apps as assistive devices, providing visually impaired persons with tools for text and object recognition, navigation, and digital accessibility. However, they also highlighted the need for rigorous evaluation studies to understand the real-world benefits of these apps.…”