Reshaping Inclusive Interpersonal Dynamics through Smart Glasses in Mixed-Vision Social Activities
This addresses social inclusion challenges for BLV individuals in mixed-vision settings, representing an incremental step in applying existing smart glasses technology to a new social context.
The study tackled the problem of inaccessible visual cues hindering social collaboration between Blind and Low Vision (BLV) and sighted individuals by developing a smart glasses system, CollabLens, and testing it in workshops. It found that smart glasses meaningfully supported inclusive collaboration by expanding BLV participants' assistive networks with flexible access to visual information, though sighted participants expressed uncertainty in adapting their helping behaviors.
Meaningful social interaction is vital to well-being, yet Blind and Low Vision (BLV) individuals face persistent barriers when collaborating with sighted peers due to inaccessible visual cues. While most wearable assistive technologies emphasize individual tasks, smart glasses introduce opportunities for real-time, contextual support in social settings. To explore how smart glasses affect interpersonal dynamics and support inclusion in mixed-vision groups, we developed a smart glasses-based system, CollabLens, as a technology probe and employed it in four workshop sessions. We found that smart glasses can meaningfully support inclusive collaboration through expanding BLV participants' assistive networks with more flexible, independent access to visual information. While sighted participants viewed smart glasses as a promising medium that fosters interpersonal connection, they revealed uncertainty in adapting their helping behaviors. We concluded by discussing and synthesizing challenges and opportunities for designing smart glasses that provide seamless interaction experiences and enhance reciprocal mixed-vision social inclusion.