Enhance Navigation for the Visually Impaired

We built an application that can provide information to the visually impaired about the surrounding environment using QR Code technology

Overview

Naviku is an application that helps the blind in navigating outdoors and indoors.

Naviku uses QR Code technology as a benchmark in determining an object that will be detected by a camera scanner which produces text information and translates it into sound.

This will make the user listen to the sound output while slowly moving closer to the object.

As a UI UX designer, I designed the application, slicing the user interface design to the mobile application, and testing its accessibility to end to end users

Key Features

Scope

Android

Main Features

Navigation, QR Code Readers, Generate QR Code, Text To Speech

Timeline

Oct 2022 - Aug 2023

Location

Bandung, Indonesia

Team Formation

1 UI UX Designer

1 Front-End Developer

1 Back-End Developer

1 Android Developer

Technology

Figma

Kotlin

Firebase

Talkback

Accesibility

Scanner

Target Audience

Low Vision

Totally Blind

Have Smartphone

Understand context of use

Background

According to WHO in 2019, currently at least 2.2 billion people worldwide have vision impairment, of whom at least 1 billion have vision impairment that can actually be prevented or has not been treated.

Apart from that, research from the Indonesian Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas in 2021, it turns out that the number of people with visual disabilities in Indonesia is quite large compared to other types of disabilities.

We, as student and researchers, plan to increase equality for blind people to get the same rights as non-blind people.

Problem

Navigation

They have tools to replace their eyes to travel anywhere. such as sticks, dogs, and technology but still face difficulties in:

Navigating in new places,
Avoiding obstacles, and
Searching dozens of rooms in buildings

Existing technological tools are not sufficient for needs

We compared some of the apps they (blind man) had used and apps related to navigation, such as Google Maps, Lazarillo, Clew, and Navilens, but still face difficulties in:

Indoor Navigation
Detecting Objects
Requires Internet

Navigation App Comparison Table

Based on the comparison results in Table, the Navilens application has important features for navigation needs.

Navilens is an application that can provide information to the visually impaired by scanning a QR Code which can be quickly read from a long distance and then translated into sound. So that blind people can find out any information from the location of codes that have been installed in places, such as subway stations, bus stops and museums or public buildings

Therefore, Navilens is a suitable concept to be used as inspiration and benchmark for our application development.

Research Method

In designing our application, we used the user-centered design method. This method is suitable because it places the user as the main focus in the product development process and is suitable for use in designs that adapt or modify a system to make it better.

In designing our application, we used the user-centered design method.

This method is suitable because it places the user as the main focus in the product development process and is suitable for use in designs that adapt or modify a system to make it better.

User-Centered Design Process
Source: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/user-centered-design

Underrated Fact

Blind people are just as clever at accessing smartphones as most normal people, they use voice assistance to read the content on the screen.

Specify user requirements

User Persona

There are two persona characteristics in this research.

Persona of a Totally Blind person who uses a smartphone for daily assistance

Name : Sukirman

Age : 50

Domicile : Bandung, Indonesia

Job : Teacher

LifeStyle

Sukirman is totally blind and a teacher who teaches every Monday to Friday at the Special School (SLB) in Bandung. Other than teaching activities, Sukirman took the time to attend the West Java Blind Community for discussions with other blind friends.

Attitudes to technology

Interested in new technology that can help him in supporting his blind condition.

Competence with Technology

Can use a smartphone with a screen reader and voice assistance for communication needs and ordering online motorcycle taxis for transportation.

Physical and Sensory Capabilities

Have a totally blind condition or totally blind.

Use of technology

Using smartphones for daily communication, and sharing information for work and community matters. In addition, using online motorcycle taxis to commute to work.

Persona of a Low Vision person who uses a smartphone for daily assistance and still able to see a little when accessing a smartphone

Name : Andira

Age : 24

Domicile : Bandung, Indonesia

Job : Self-employed

LifeStyle

Andira is blind in the low vision category and is an entrepreneur.

Attitudes to technology

Very interested in changes to technology. Never give up in using technology that can help his difficulty in seeing.

Competence with Technology

Proficient in using smartphones and laptops. Able to operate and tinker with settings on smartphones with the help of screen readers and screen magnifiers.

Physical and Sensory Capabilities

Have a low vision condition. He can still see more or less 2-3 meters in front of him and can only clearly read large text such as headlines in newspapers. Vision will get worse if the light around it is reduced.

Use of technology

Using a smartphone as a communication tool, social media and ordering online motorcycle taxis to travel.

Amazing Fact

Blind people also play social media, they update their Facebook status, upload Instagram stories, scroll through TikTok videos, and many of them even become content creators.

User Journey

There are two user journey for each persona

User Journey Totally Blind

User Journey Low Vision

Underrated Fact

Blind people prefer to be given space to be independent rather than just being pitied and helped temporarily.

User Wants and Needs

Several things that blind people want and need related to problems in navigation

As a totally blind, I want clear information around me. So I can be more confident when navigating.

As a low vision, I need the application easy to read. Otherwise, I would have a hard time understanding the information without a screen reader

As a totally blind, I need the app to be accessible with my screen reader. Otherwise, I will have difficulty understanding every content in the application

As a low vision, I want to be able to read the direction of a marker from a distance. So I don't need to approach the marker or ask other people anymore

Design Solutions

Solution

QR Code Detector

We built a QR Code detection application to provide information on the object attached to the QR Code Poster.

This Android-based application is specifically aimed at the visually impaired as a navigation aid for them outdoors and indoors by simply making them feel like they are doing the recording activity with their smartphone

QR Code Poster

Blind users search for the location of the QR Code poster attached in a designated place according to the QR Code information, such as Front Yard, Living Room, Toilet, Public Transportation, etc., by slowly pointing the camera at the smartphone.

When the QR Code scanner camera successfully reads, the Information will come out and the system will read the text to voice.

At a system distance that can read approximately 15 meters, the scanner will read repeatedly until the user is close to around 5 meters. At that distance, the user is notified that he is close to the QR Code poster.

This can help users determine the location of objects such as finding a room in a building, navigating at stations, reading bus numbers and destination locations, reading product packaging information, etc.

Information Architecture

Naviku has simple, consistent and accessible pages to make it easier for users to access existing features.

User Flow

Naviku has a light flow by focusing on 2 main features, including: scanning QR Codes and Content Management QR Codes.

Wireframe

In designing a mobile application wireframe for the blind, I ensure the page is accessible to the behavior of the blind in interacting on their smartphone by following the Laws of UX and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Design System

We chose accessible, high-contrast font sizes and colors based on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. Hopefully low vision can still read visual content

High Fidelity

I apply the design system that has been created to the High Fidelity design by paying attention to the possibility that low vision can still read the color contrast

QR Code Poster

Poster QR code is an object that will be detected by the application. Contains text that shows the direction of the environment around the object

Evaluate Againts requirement

Usability Testing

1st Iteration

Single Ease Question (SEQ)

5.37

Below Average

Participant

Low Vision

Totally Blind

System Usability Scale (SUS)

SUS Score

60.71

Below Average

Adjective

Average

Grade

Average

Acceptability

Marginal

Average

NPS

Passive

Average

Usability Testing

2nd Iteration

Single Ease Question (SEQ)

5.93

Above Average

Participant

Low Vision

Totally Blind

System Usability Scale (SUS)

SUS Score

72.5

Above Average

Adjective

Good

Above Average

Grade

Above Average

Acceptability

Marginal

Average

NPS

Passive

Average

Usability Testing

3rd Iteration

Single Ease Question (SEQ)

6.15

Above Average

Participant

Low Vision

Totally Blind

System Usability Scale (SUS)

SUS Score

80.5

Above Average

Adjective

Good

Above Average

Grade

Above Average

Acceptability

Marginal

Above Average

NPS

Promotor

Reccomended

Conclusion

Result

After 3 iterations with usability testing, users were able to adapt to the application and gave a System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 80.5, which is good and acceptable.

Currently naviku can be used at the office of the blind association in West Java, Indonesia, and Cicendo Eye Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia.

Learning & Suggestion

Nevertheless, Naviku's success is still far from being able to provide a solution. The existence of the naviku application is one of the more effective methods chosen because of the scope of the research and the designer's abilities,

The next design can be focused on other users, such as those responsible for helping put up posters, and people other than the blind so that it is more inclusive and can be used by all types of users.