Adapting VR experiences for various sensory abilities
Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology that simulates three-dimensional, computer-generated environments and immerses users through specialized headsets or devices. By tracking head movements, and often with hand controllers, VR allows people to view content, navigate landscapes, and even manipulate virtual objects in real time.
VR has been embraced across industries: from gaming and entertainment to education and professional training, where immersive simulations of environments in fields include, but are not limited to, medicine, aviation, and industrial safety.
Yet, the very elements that make VR so engaging – things like fully 3D environments, dynamic motion, and realistic audio – can also introduce barriers for disabled users. Users with visual impairments, for example, may struggle to identify in-game elements if not provided with robust audio cues or haptic feedback. Deaf or hard-of-hearing users might...
