Navigating independence : a survey of visually impaired people's experiences and needs

Independent navigation in unfamiliar environments remains a major challenge for blind and visually impaired individuals, despite the availability of assistive technologies. This paper presents the results of a fully accessible online survey investigating navigation experiences, challenges, and technology preferences among people with visual impairments worldwide. The survey was distributed through individuals and organizations supporting visually impaired communities. Our results indicate that smartphone-based applications are the most used digital navigation aids, while a substantial proportion of participants report not using any assistive navigation technology due to cost, accessibility, or usability barriers. Participants reported persistent difficulties in obstacle detection, wayfinding, and navigation in complex environments. Despite a widespread focus on smartphone-based solutions, they expressed a clear preference for wearable and hands-free systems, highlighting a gap between current technology use and user needs. The findings provide a user-centered overview of navigation needs and offer insights into the design and evaluation of future assistive navigation systems.