Abstract
Presentation Description :
There have been many recent developments in the commercialization of vision based applications. Improvements in imaging and computing technology (i.e. virtual reality, augmented reality, and smartphones) have been leveraged as assistive devices to research vision loss. Furthermore, a growing number of prostheses aim to restore sight by replicating the neural code that contributes to vision perception. The aim of this talk is to summarize a systematic review of studies that examined how extended reality (XR) can be used to understand the perception of and/or provide a benefit to people who are blind or visually impaired. Search terms related to visual impairment (low vision, visual aid, prosthetic, etc.) and extended reality (VR, AR, immersive, display, etc.) were used to identify records from three popular research databases. A total of 227 studies met the search criteria and were categorized based on three factors: 1) the type of visual condition to be explored by the research question (low vision or prosthetic vision), 2) the method in which behavior was being studied (perception vs enhancement), and 3) the visual ability of participants within the experiment (blind and/or low vision vs simulation). Notable themes to be discussed include a range of measurable benefits of using simulators or AR for people who are blind/low vision, specifically for improving visual function, search, and navigation. Suggestions for future work include using surveys to evaluate qualitative feedback, designing biologically plausible simulations, and comparing performance of patients to subjects with simulated conditions on the same task.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.