Researchers from the Cheriton School of Computer Science and Microsoft Research have created a method that makes virtual reality more accessible to people with mobility limitations.
VR games like Beat Saber and Space Pirate Trainer usually require large and dramatic movements, such as raising one’s arms above the head or quickly side-stepping, which can be difficult or impossible for people who use wheelchairs or have limited mobility. To decrease these barriers, the researchers created MotionBlocks, a tool that lets users customize the game’s controls to fit the movements they can do.
“VR games are a lot of fun, and they’re important social spaces, especially for younger generations,” said Johann Wentzel, a recent PhD graduate from the Cheriton School of Computer Science and the lead author of the research (pictured inset on the right).
“However, VR technology relies on a lot of large movements, which creates a barrier for people who can’t complete them. As soon as you have an application that isn’t accessible to everyone, you’re functionally excluding people with disabilities from these social spaces.”