Improving Swim Accessibility through Vibro-Tactile Sensory Substitution: A Preliminary Study.

Practicing sports and in particular swimming has several positive effects, among which is improving individuals’ perception of the self and, therefore, their control over their own body. Nevertheless, swimming accessibility has several barriers for people with visual impairments. This paper investigates the challenges that blind and visually-impaired (BVI) athletes encounter when practicing swim. It then illustrates a human-centered process that involved two Paralympic swimmers and that, thanks to the gathered insights, led to the design of VIBS, a vibro-tactile swimming cap that aims to make BVI swimmers feel safe and independent.