Inclusive Gallery and Museum Experiences for People who are Blind or have Low Vision

Primary supervisor

Matthew Butler

Access to cultural institutions, such as galleries and museums, is often compromised for people with disability. This includes people who are blind or have low vision (BLV). This project seeks to improve experiences within cultural institutions such as galleries and museums for BLV people, by applying AI and human-centred design principles to the creation of mediating artefacts and experiences.

Aim/outline

The aims of this project are to explore the use of emerging technologies, such as Maker Technologies, AI and Conversational Agents, to support blind and low vision (BLV) people engage with arts and culture. Gallery and Museum spaces and the works within are the primary case study, however the project is not restricted to those. The expected aims of the project are to:

  1. Define strategies and technology-based tools for the design of inclusive experiences in cultural settings;
  2. Use the tools to co-design mediating artefacts for engagement with galleries and museums and the works within;
  3. Gather evidence on efficacy of the designed artefacts and the design toolkit by both BLV visitors and institutions;
  4. Create a broad set of evidence-based resources for cultural institutions across the country to help them increase accessibility and inclusion.

URLs/references

https://www.monash.edu/it/hcc/research/inclusive-technologies

Required knowledge

There is no explicit knowledge required, however the candidate must have:

  • The ability to work with emerging AI related technologies
  • Willingness to engage with emerging "maker" technologies, such as 3D printing and low cost electronics
  • Be willing to work with BLV end users and cultural institutions in the design and evaluation
  • Be an advocate for both inclusive practice, and arts and culture