Supporting Individuals with Photophobia in VR: A Case Study of VR Shades, an Accessible VR Application Feature Prototype

Aaron Gluck, Lex Huth

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) is a predominantly visual medium, which can be challenging for individuals with visual disabilities. This is especially true for people with photophobia (i.e., light sensitivity), as brightness controls are mainly unavailable in VR applications. To address this inaccessibility, the authors developed VR Shades, a prototype VR application feature allowing users to modify visual light transmission (VLT) in VR applications. Huth participated in the case study; she has lattice degeneration, which led to dual retinal detachments. After surgical intervention, she experienced many permanent visual changes, including extreme photophobia. The study sought to understand if VR Shades could increase VR accessibility by providing VLT-level controls within the virtual environment. Results indicate that VR Shades can increase VR usage while decreasing recovery time. These findings contribute to the emerging field of accessible VR research, indicating that simple features can significantly impact people who find current VR technologies inaccessible.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings - 2024 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops, VRW 2024
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages311-315
Number of pages5
ISBN (Electronic)9798350374490
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
Event2024 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops, VRW 2024 - Orlando, United States
Duration: 16 Mar 202421 Mar 2024

Publication series

NameProceedings - 2024 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops, VRW 2024

Conference

Conference2024 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops, VRW 2024
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityOrlando
Period16/03/2421/03/24

Keywords

  • accessibility
  • light sensitivity
  • photophobia
  • Virtual reality
  • visual disability
  • visual light transmission
  • VLT
  • VR

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