XR for All: Accessibility and Privacy for Disabled Users
Examines core privacy risks and accessibility hurdles faced by disabled users in extended reality platforms and highlights open-source solutions.
Summary
Accessibility Hurdles in Extended Reality
Extended Reality (XR) platforms offer immersive environments for social interaction, training, and remote collaboration. However, many disabled users encounter systemic barriers that exclude them from fully participating in XR technologies.
Tensions Between Privacy and Assistive Tools
Assistive technologies in XR frequently require continuous tracking of user motion, eye gaze, and biometric responses. The extensive telemetry collected to enable accessibility often creates severe privacy risks if stored or shared without adequate protections.
Open Source Accessibility Initiatives
Efforts spearheaded by the XR Access Initiative at Cornell Tech focus on establishing open-source standards and tools that balance user accessibility with robust data protection and privacy guarantees.
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