By Paris Carter
A recent study led by a University of Florida engineering professor is challenging long-held assumptions in virtual reality design, particularly the belief that all users see the world the same way.
The research by UF engineering professor Eakta Jain, Ph.D., highlights practical solutions for comprehensive virtual reality design by discussing how traditional eye-tracking methods, which assume coordinated eye movements, overlook individuals with visual impairments.
“Every person with an eye impairment is unique. You can’t just say here is a typical normal eye or here is a typical abnormal eye. There is a range,” said Jain.
In a project funded in part by the National Science Foundation, Jain’s research group collected qualitative and quantitative data from 11 participants with self-reported strabismus and amblyopia. Strabismus (commonly called crossed eyes), involves misalignment of the eyes while amblyopia (known as lazy eye), is a vision disorder where the two eyes don’t work together.