Abstract
There are around 285 million visually impaired people worldwide, and around 370,000 people are registered as blind or partially sighted in the UK. Ongoing advances in information technology (IT) are increasing the scope for IT-based mobile assistive technologies to facilitate the independence, safety, and improved quality of life of the visually impaired. Research is being directed at making mobile phones and other handheld devices accessible via our haptic (touch) and audio sensory channels. We review research and innovation within the field of mobile assistive technology for the visually impaired and, in so doing, highlight the need for successful collaboration between clinical expertise, computer science, and domain users to realize fully the potential benefits of such technologies. We initially reflect on research that has been conducted to make mobile phones more accessible to people with vision loss. We then discuss innovative assistive applications designed for the visually impaired that are either delivered via mainstream devices and can be used while in motion (e.g., mobile phones) or are embedded within an environment that may be in motion (e.g., public transport) or within which the user may be in motion (e.g., smart homes).
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 513-528 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Survey of ophthalmology |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Early online date | 23 Sep 2013 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2013 |
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Bibliographical note
NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Survey of ophthalmology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Hakobyan, L, Lumsden, J, O'Sullivan, D & Bartlett, H, 'Mobile assistive technologies for the visually impaired' Survey of ophthalmology, vol. 58, no. 6 (2013) DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.survophthal.2012.10.004Keywords
- blind
- handheld assistive technology
- IT systems
- low vision
- mobile assistive technology
- mobile computer devices
- mobile technology
- vision loss
- visual impairment
Cite this
}
Mobile assistive technologies for the visually impaired. / Hakobyan, Lilit; Lumsden, Jo; O'Sullivan, Dympna; Bartlett, Hannah.
In: Survey of ophthalmology, Vol. 58, No. 6, 11.2013, p. 513-528.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Mobile assistive technologies for the visually impaired
AU - Hakobyan, Lilit
AU - Lumsden, Jo
AU - O'Sullivan, Dympna
AU - Bartlett, Hannah
N1 - NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Survey of ophthalmology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Hakobyan, L, Lumsden, J, O'Sullivan, D & Bartlett, H, 'Mobile assistive technologies for the visually impaired' Survey of ophthalmology, vol. 58, no. 6 (2013) DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.survophthal.2012.10.004
PY - 2013/11
Y1 - 2013/11
N2 - There are around 285 million visually impaired people worldwide, and around 370,000 people are registered as blind or partially sighted in the UK. Ongoing advances in information technology (IT) are increasing the scope for IT-based mobile assistive technologies to facilitate the independence, safety, and improved quality of life of the visually impaired. Research is being directed at making mobile phones and other handheld devices accessible via our haptic (touch) and audio sensory channels. We review research and innovation within the field of mobile assistive technology for the visually impaired and, in so doing, highlight the need for successful collaboration between clinical expertise, computer science, and domain users to realize fully the potential benefits of such technologies. We initially reflect on research that has been conducted to make mobile phones more accessible to people with vision loss. We then discuss innovative assistive applications designed for the visually impaired that are either delivered via mainstream devices and can be used while in motion (e.g., mobile phones) or are embedded within an environment that may be in motion (e.g., public transport) or within which the user may be in motion (e.g., smart homes).
AB - There are around 285 million visually impaired people worldwide, and around 370,000 people are registered as blind or partially sighted in the UK. Ongoing advances in information technology (IT) are increasing the scope for IT-based mobile assistive technologies to facilitate the independence, safety, and improved quality of life of the visually impaired. Research is being directed at making mobile phones and other handheld devices accessible via our haptic (touch) and audio sensory channels. We review research and innovation within the field of mobile assistive technology for the visually impaired and, in so doing, highlight the need for successful collaboration between clinical expertise, computer science, and domain users to realize fully the potential benefits of such technologies. We initially reflect on research that has been conducted to make mobile phones more accessible to people with vision loss. We then discuss innovative assistive applications designed for the visually impaired that are either delivered via mainstream devices and can be used while in motion (e.g., mobile phones) or are embedded within an environment that may be in motion (e.g., public transport) or within which the user may be in motion (e.g., smart homes).
KW - blind
KW - handheld assistive technology
KW - IT systems
KW - low vision
KW - mobile assistive technology
KW - mobile computer devices
KW - mobile technology
KW - vision loss
KW - visual impairment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84886258436&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.survophthal.2012.10.004
DO - 10.1016/j.survophthal.2012.10.004
M3 - Article
VL - 58
SP - 513
EP - 528
JO - Survey of ophthalmology
T2 - Survey of ophthalmology
JF - Survey of ophthalmology
SN - 0039-6257
IS - 6
ER -