Designing Conversational Multimodal 3D Printed Models with People who are Blind

Abstract

3D printed models have been used to improve access to graphical information by people who are blind, offering benefits over conventional accessible graphics. Here we investigate an interactive 3D printed model (I3M) that combines a conversational interface with haptic vibration and touch to provide more natural and accessible experiences. Specifically, we co-designed a multimodal model of the Solar System with nine blind people and evaluated the prototype with another seven blind participants. We discuss our journey from a design perspective, focusing on touch, conversational and multimodal interactions. Based on our experience, we suggest design recommendations that consider blind users' desire for independence and control, customisation, comfort and use of prior experience

To appear in ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS '23), July 10-14, 2023, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

References in corpus (3)

• Technology Developments in Touch-Based Accessible Graphics: A Systematic Review of Research 2010-2020
• 3D Printed Maps and Icons for Inclusion: Testing in the Wild by People who are Blind or have Low Vision
• Design and User Satisfaction of Interactive Maps for Visually Impaired People

Cited by in corpus (4)

• When Refreshable Tactile Displays Meet Conversational Agents: Investigating Accessible Data Presentation and Analysis with Touch and Speech
• A11yShape: AI-Assisted 3-D Modeling for Blind and Low-Vision Programmers
• "It Brought the Model to Life": Exploring the Embodiment of Multimodal I3Ms for People who are Blind or have Low Vision
• TAMP-OS: An Open-Source Workflow for Tactile 3D-Printable Lithographs