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. This presentation will explore how Google Maps' Lens in Maps feature was adapted to provide a meaningful AR experience for visually impaired users. By leveraging audio cues, haptic feedback, and intuitive screen reader interactions, we demonstrate how AR can be made accessible without compromising its core functionality. Join us as we discuss the design decisions, challenges, and successes of this project, and explore the potential for broader applications of accessible AR in various domains.
Speaker
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
I was born in China, and grew up in Japan. I came to the US after high school and graduated from University of Wisconsin Madison with a double major in Computer Engineering and Computer Science. I got my Ph.D in Computer Science with focus on Augmented Reality from Columbia University under Prof. Steven Feiner's supervision. I currently work at Google as Software Engineer for Live View features in Google Maps.
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Date
Wednesday Nov 20 / 10:35AM PST ( 50 minutes )
Location
Pacific DEKJ
