PATHSENSE
Empowering spaces with accessible navigation for everyone
Case Study
5 min read
ROLE
Full-stack designer
TIMELINE
Three Weeks
SKILLS
Interaction Design
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE PROBLEM
?
from here to anywhere
The GPS Revolution in travel
Today we can explore the world without ever getting lost. With the step by step navigation provided to us, we can find our way anywhere—whether driving through a city, flying across continents, or sailing the seas.
Trapped in Plain Sight
Silent Struggles of Indoor Navigation
Despite all the advancements, millions of people around the world still lack the means to independently and confidently navigate indoor spaces.
How might we help blind individuals navigate indoor spaces confidently and independently?
But
The Solution
Current location and destination
Mayank uses the VoiceOver feature to navigate the app
The app auto-detects his location which is read by voice over
Mayank double taps to activate the voice assistant
He sets his destination via the voice assistant
the Research
the ideation
for brainstorming solutions, I needed to review the
current and potential technologies
Journey from parking to classroom
Lets follow the journey of Mayank a visually blind masters student from parking to classroom
Finding correct orientation to move
Mayank scans his phone to find the correct orientation.
Vibrations decrease as he gets closer to the correct direction.
Once aligned, the phone stops vibrating, and audio navigation starts
Moving Forward
Mayank's audio guidance is structured around checkpoints
He receives detailed audio guidance for the upcoming checkpoint
Mayank advances toward the building, with the stairs as his first checkpoint
He keeps his orientation correct through vibration feedback
Reaching the stairs
As he approaches the checkpoint, a beeping sound will play for the last 10 feet, increasing in intensity with each foot.
Mayank reaches the stairs, which he navigates using audio description and his mobility skills
Navigating the hallway
Mayank reaches the main hallway of the building which he navigates by maintaining his orientation
App provides an audio intimation before a turn comes
At the turning point phone vibrates, prompting mayank to adjust his orientation
Reaching the classroom
Mayank navigates the hallway to reach the main door of his clasrrom
As soon as the door comes the app also provides details about the door and how to open it
Same feature can be used for lifts
Visual Impairment v/s Blindness
Visual Impairment
Vision impairment occurs when an eye condition affects the visual system and its vision functions. It includes any kind of vision loss, whether it's someone who cannot see at all or someone who has partial vision loss
Blindness
Blindness is the inability to see or a lack of vision. It also means that you can’t correct your vision with eyeglasses, contact lenses, eye drops or other medical therapy, or surgery.
What
training a blind person needs for daily life ?
Tactile and Auditory Cues
Developing skills to rely on touch, sound, and other senses for tasks like identifying objects and navigating environments
Assistive Technology Training
Using screen readers, braille devices, and accessible smartphones or computers for communication and productivity
Independent Living Skills
Cooking, cleaning, and personal care techniques adapted for visual impairment
Orientation and Mobility Training
To learn how to navigate safely using a cane or guide dog and understand spatial awareness
Key aspects of
orientation and mobility training
#1
Cane Techniques
Proper use of a white cane for detecting obstacles, changes in terrain, and navigating safely
#2
Spatial Awareness
Understanding surroundings and developing mental maps of indoor and outdoor environments
#3
Navigating Stairs and Elevators
Learning safe methods to identify, approach, and use stairs or elevators
#4
Route Planning
Learning how to plan and follow specific routes independently
Literature review
Indoor navigation for blind individuals faces three key challenges
Key Insights
#1
Find the current location
Finding current location relies more on non-visual cues like sound, texture, smell.
#2
Find the way to a destination
They rely heavily on spatial memory and mental maps.
#3
Find and maintain orientation
Blind individuals maintain orientation using tactile feedback e.g. feeling surfaces with a cane
They also use auditory cues e.g whether they are parallel or opposite to traffic .
Interview
To learn more about mobility in blind individuals, I interviewed a teacher with 26 years of experience teaching blind students about mobility, braille etc
#1
Every blind individual has different needs
The needs of every blind individual is different depending on the nature of blindness. There is no one size fits all approach in this
#2
Formation of spatial maps
These spatial maps are formed mainly using textures and environmental perception. They also use other cues such as sound, smell etc
#3
Strong ambient awareness and sound recognition
As they have to rely on other senses more they have heightened sense of ambient awareness and sound recognition
Path Drawing
Allows us to draw a specific path using virtual colliders, with feedback provided when crossing these colliders
Location-Specific Interactions
Enables the addition of specific interactions at designated locations using GPS
Scalability
Offers greater scalability compared to other technologies
Accessibility Features
Device-specific accessibility features can be leveraged
WHY
AR Based Technology?
Decoding the task flow
Once the technology was finalized I need to understand the task flow and the key interaction points and options
The wireframes
The challenge was to create a visual design that would work seamlessly with the voice over
The learnings
#1
Accessibility in Design
I realized the importance of prioritizing accessibility in digital product design. Failing to do so risks causing frustration and a bad experience for millions of users.
#2
Importance of good UX-Writing
I learned how crucial clear and concise UX writing is for guiding users, whether they are everyday users or visually impaired
Effective communication through writing simplifies navigation, reduces cognitive load, and enhances the overall user experience.
#3
Interaction Design
As this project was for people who are visually impaired, I understood how different interactions such as sound, vibrations can be used to enhance the user experience of a digital product
The future scope
#1
User Testing
I would like to test the app's idea and usability with real users. This will help me identify pain points, usability challenges, and areas where the design might not work or where the design is going wrong
#2
Designing an Onboarding Flow
I want to create a comprehensive onboarding flow that trains users on how to navigate and interact with the app. Given the reliance on non-visual cues like voice commands and haptic feedback, this onboarding would be critical in ensuring users understand the app’s features and how to use them effectively
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