Speaker
Abstract
Creating accessible tools and experiences in VR is an ongoing challenge, especially in visually intensive environments like gaming. However, by integrating accessibility features from the start, developers can unlock new opportunities to create more inclusive and enjoyable experiences for all users.
As the Technical Director at Mighty Coconut, and a visually impaired developer, I’ve led efforts to incorporate accessibility into Walkabout Mini Golf, one of the highest-rated VR multiplayer games. By focusing on the pillars of design, development, and testing, we've built a culture that emphasizes inclusivity and innovation in every aspect of the game. Walkabout Mini Golf showcases how accessible design can enhance the user experience and remove barriers, while also improving the overall quality of the product.
In this talk, I will share practical strategies for building accessible VR games, including:
- How to design with accessibility in mind from day one
- Effective development techniques for implementing accessibility features
- The importance of rigorous testing and feedback to refine and polish accessible tools
- Attendees will leave with actionable insights into how accessibility can drive innovation and enhance both the technical and user experience of their projects.
QCon San Francisco 2024 is a three day conference for senior software engineers, architects and team leads. An international program committee of working engineers selects every session. Patterns and practices, not products and pitches.
From the same track
Wednesday 20 November
10:35 Pacific DEKJ Session Augmented Reality Making Augmented Reality Accessible: A Case Study of Lens in Maps Ohan Oda Senior Software Engineer @Google, Expert in AR with Maps Starting from MARS @ColumbiaUniversity (2005), then CityLens @Nokia (2012), and Currently Live View @Google Augmented reality (AR) has the potential to revolutionize how we interact with the world, but its visual-centric nature often excludes users with visual impairments. 11:45 Pacific DEKJ Session XR Accessible Innovation in XR: Maximizing the Curb Cut Effect Dylan Fox Director of Operations @XR Access, Previously UC Berkeley Researcher & UX Designer, Expert on Accessibility for Emerging Technologies Accessibility is often seen as the last step in many software projects - a checklist to be crossed off to satisfy regulations. But in reality, accessible design thinking can lead to a fountain of features that benefit disabled and abled users alike. 13:35 Pacific DEKJ Session Building Inclusive Mini Golf: A Practical Guide to Accessible XR Development Colby Morgan Technical Director @Mighty Coconut, Walkabout Mini Golf, XR Accessibility Advocate Creating accessible tools and experiences in VR is an ongoing challenge, especially in visually intensive environments like gaming. 14:45 Pacific DEKJ Session Multidimensionality: Using Spatial Intelligence x Spatial Computing to Create New Worlds Erin Pañgilinan Spatial Computing x AI Leader, Author of "Creating Augmented and Virtual Realities: Theory and Practice for Next-Generation Spatial Computing", fast.ai Diversity Fellow, Deep Learning Program Spatial intelligence and multimodal AI models are transforming the way we design user experiences in Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), eXtended Reality (XR) / spatial computing environments. 15:55 Pacific DEKJ Session Panel: Next Generation Inclusive UIs Erin Pañgilinan, Colby Morgan, Dylan Fox Augmented, Virtual, Extended, and Mixed Reality unlock the ability to integrate the power of computers more seamlessly into our physical three-dimensional world. However, designing the user experience of these next-generation UIs to be as inclusive as possible comes with a lot of challenges.