A 55 QUESTION SURVEY AND FOCUS GROUP TO DEFINE TECHNOLOGY, HEALTHCARE AND NAVIGATION NEEDS FOR THE BLIND AND LOW VISION.

Through the introduction of a variety of innovative technological devices, the independent travel experience for people who are blind or have low vision can be exponentially enhanced. To address this dearth of information, an online survey was developed with the assistance of the National Federation of the Blind to assess specific issues in the healthcare and navigation spaces for the Blind Low Vision [BLV], which has not been adequately addressed in existing surveys. The Survey included fifty-five questions in total, which included topics such as navigating obstacles, indoor and outdoor injuries, and access to healthcare. The results of the [herein referred to as the Survey] results are detailed within this paper. Following the Survey, three moderator-facilitated telephonic Focus groups were held with NFB to further validate and drill down on the Survey details, which will be used to design, develop, and test prototype concepts for the BLV.