About cookies on this site Our websites require some cookies to function properly (required). In addition, other cookies may be used with your consent to analyze site usage, improve the user experience and for advertising. For more information, please review your options. By visiting our website, you agree to our processing of information as described in IBM’sprivacy statement. To provide a smooth navigation, your cookie preferences will be shared across the IBM web domains listed here.
Publication
W4A 2024
Conference paper
"we are at the mercy of others' opinion": Supporting Blind People in Recreational Window Shopping with AI-infused Technology
Abstract
Engaging in recreational activities in public spaces poses challenges for blind people, often involving dependency on sighted help. Window shopping is a key recreational activity that remains inaccessible. In this paper, we investigate the information needs, challenges, and current approaches blind people have to recreational window shopping to inform the design of existing wayfinding and navigation technology for supporting blind shoppers in exploration and serendipitous discovery. We conduct a formative study with a total of 18 blind participants that include both focus groups (N=8) and interviews for requirements analysis (N=10). We find that there is a desire for push notifications of promotional information and pull notifications about shops of interest such as the targeted audience of a brand. Information about obstacles and points-of-interest required customization depending on one's mobility aid as well as presence of a crowd, children, and wheelchair users. We translate these findings into specific information modalities and rendering in the context of two existing AI-infused assistive applications: NavCog (a turn-by-Turn navigation app) and Cabot (a navigation robot).