arXiv subjects

Max Rädler

Publications and source records attributed to Max Rädler.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Effects of Auditory Information for People With Visual Impairments in Highly Automated Vehicles

Automated vehicles promise to improve accessibility and access to personal mobility for everyone. However, their design and current research trends in visualizing relevant information do not reflect this commitment to accessibility for users with visual impairments. Therefore, we designed and implemented a visual and auditory communication concept for people with visual impairments seated inside fully automated vehicles. Furthermore, in an online video-based study (N=35, 12 with visual impairments), we compared three levels of auditory information communication: low (safety-relevant information only), medium (additionally including vehicle control and route updates), and high (additionally including sightseeing and destination information). Results showed that trust and user experience significantly improved with additional information, with a corresponding, albeit less robust, effect on perceived safety. However, they also revealed that a potential information saturation was reached with medium information. Our work helps to improve the accessibility of automated vehicles by guiding designers towards adequate information communication.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2026

Improving Low-Vision Chart Accessibility via On-Cursor Visual Context

Despite widespread use, charts remain largely inaccessible for Low-Vision Individuals (LVI). Reading charts requires viewing data points within a global context, which is difficult for LVI who may rely on magnification or experience a partial field of vision. We aim to improve exploration by providing visual access to critical context. To inform this, we conducted a formative study with five LVI. We identified four fundamental contextual elements common across chart types: axes, legend, grid lines, and the overview. We propose two pointer-based interaction methods to provide this context: Dynamic Context, a novel focus+context interaction, and Mini-map, which adapts overview+detail principles for LVI. In a study with N=22 LVI, we compared both methods and evaluated their integration to current tools. Our results show that Dynamic Context had significant positive impact on access, usability, and effort reduction; however, worsened visual load. Mini-map strengthened spatial understanding, but was less preferred for this task. We offer design insights to guide the development of future systems that support LVI with visual context while balancing visual load.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2025

VIP-Sim: A User-Centered Approach to Vision Impairment Simulation for Accessible Design

People with vision impairments (VIPs) often rely on their remaining vision when interacting with user interfaces. Simulating visual impairments is an effective tool for designers, fostering awareness of the challenges faced by VIPs. While previous research has introduced various vision impairment simulators, none have yet been developed with the direct involvement of VIPs or thoroughly evaluated from their perspective. To address this gap, we developed VIP-Sim. This symptom-based vision simulator was created through a participatory design process tailored explicitly for this purpose, involving N=7 VIPs. 21 symptoms, like field loss or light sensitivity, can be overlaid on desktop design tools. Most participants felt VIP-Sim could replicate their symptoms. VIP-Sim was received positively, but concerns about exclusion in design and comprehensiveness of the simulation remain, mainly whether it represents the experiences of other VIPs.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2024

pARam: Leveraging Parametric Design in Extended Reality to Support the Personalization of Artifacts for Personal Fabrication

Extended Reality (XR) allows in-situ previewing of designs to be manufactured through Personal Fabrication (PF). These in-situ interactions exhibit advantages for PF, like incorporating the environment into the design process. However, design-for-fabrication in XR often happens through either highly complex 3D-modeling or is reduced to rudimentary adaptations of crowd-sourced models. We present pARam, a tool combining parametric designs (PDs) and XR, enabling in-situ configuration of artifacts for PF. In contrast to modeling- or search-focused approaches, pARam supports customization through embodied and practical inputs (e.g., gestures, recommendations) and evaluation (e.g., lighting estimation) without demanding complex 3D-modeling skills. We implemented pARam for HoloLens 2 and evaluated it (n=20), comparing XR and desktop conditions. Users succeeded in choosing context-related parameters and took their environment into account for their configuration using pARam. We reflect on the prospects and challenges of PDs in XR to streamline complex design methods for PF while retaining suitable expressivity.

cs.HC↗