Section: Application Domains

Applications of virtual/augmented reality for low-vision

• Rehabilitation: Serious games are games designed for a primary purpose which is not pure entertainment. In our context, we think about serious games as a way to help low-vision patients in performing rehabilitation exercises. Virtual/augmented reality technology is a promising platform to develop such rehabilitation exercises targeted to specific pathologies. For example, with Age Macular Degeneration (AMD), our objective is to propose solutions allowing rehabilitation of visuo-perceptual-motor functions to optimally use residual portions of the peripheral retina and obtain efficient “eccentric viewing”.

• Vision aid-systems: A variety of aids for low-vision people are already on the market using different kinds of virtual/augmented reality platforms (dedicated or large public ones). They offer different functionalities (magnification, image enhancement, text to speech, face and object recognition). Our goal is to design new solutions allowing autonomous interaction in mixed reality environments, and take advantage of the improvement of functions obtained via rehabilitation protocols.

• Cognitive research: Virtual/augmented reality technology represents a new opportunity to conduct cognitive and behavioural research using virtual environments where all parameters can be psychophysically controlled. Our objective is to re-assess common theories by allowing patients to freely explore their environment in more ecological conditions.