(Non)visible challenges, virtual solutions: VR Technology and Navigating Space for Individuals with Visual Impairments

Abstract

To move independently is one of the manifestations of autonomy that is important, among other things, for an individual’s well-being or self-confidence. The question of whether we create reality is still open, but it is undeniable that we act in a certain interaction with the environment, and using technology, we want to expand and modify the experience of being in the world, which inevitably happens. The text aims to endeavor an exploration of the available ways in which individuals with visual impairments navigate their environment and to prompt reflection on this matter. The article will recall the definition of virtual reality (VR) and the concept of echolocation. The text will also attempt to describe the relationship between the Person with Disabilities and the spatially perceived environment, considering how the VR environment may affect the ability to perceive spatial information and find oneself in the environment.