Echolocation as an Accessible Navigation Tool in a Virtual 3D Environment

The heavy reliance on visuals in virtual environments creates significant challenges for blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals, effectively preventing them from navigating these spaces. This study investigates the efficacy of an implementation of active echolocation in a 3D virtual environment. We conducted a user study with 13 BLV participants to evaluate the effectiveness and usability of our implementation across six levels of spatial difficulty. Our data analysis revealed distinct navigation strategies and approaches used by participants. Four participants had a spatial cognitive approach, three had a pragmatic approach, and six had an inconclusive approach. Our results highlight both the potential and limitations of the implemented echolocation. Our analysis identified several limitations with our implementation. We propose alternative designs to enhance the echolocation ability and sound simulation. Additionally, we suggest improvements for future work on accessibility and usability of active echolocation tools in 3D virtual environments.