CSE493e, Fall 2024
Crafters with Disabilities
We interviewed 16 disabled knitters about their motivations, process, needs, and experiences of bias
We collected data from six forums to extend our sample size and complement our interviews with more motor and cognition related data
Pattern accessibility was a frequent problem for disabled knitters
For example P14-MC, who wrote out patterns in detail, said:
...if it says you need to go and knit 16 rows, I’ll write out [all of them] and then I’ll mark them off as I go. (P14-MC)
MC indicates motor and cognitive impairment
Four participants (P1-MVC, P2-V, P5-M, P11-V) reported difficulty with small gauged looms
Both circular knitting needle and loom knitters experienced difficulty executing a purl stitch
...when I purl …[I] have to push my thumb down like that to get tension… And so there’s a lot more pinching for me… and that
definitely causes discomfort the fastest. (P3-M)
The results of knitting solved accessibility problems for some knitters
if your sweater is too long in the back [and] goes underneath you, it's hard to transfer. (P14-M)
Participants primarily participated in communities of knitters to learn, as support networks, project collaborators, and to increase inclusion.
Bias included assumptions about ability and even concerns about image, such as one forum poster experienced when a pattern designer “didn’t like the idea of a wheelchair being in the shot.”
Crafters with Disabilities
Domain Experts
A lot of research is needed here
A lot of research is needed here
This is a focus of a lot of my group's work
But they can do a lot of interesting things
Tactile map for the blind
Phone as embedded computer
C. Lee, Intellisplash water purity tester
Combination of microcontroller, 3d printing, and phone
Uses WiFi, Bluetooth and other communication protocols
Dark box
Phone case
Many similar options -- e.g. Ph Meter; Sensing sweat make-up; Nanosensing by Nasa more examples
By clicking the “start” button (b) the application runs and several tabs can be selected (c). The “Procedure” box (d) provide to the user the instructions to perform the assay, then the Begin button allow to proceed to the “Checklist” box (e) where preset timers guide the user through the correct incubation times before BL image acquisition. The instructions can be also eluded by selecting “Test sample” in the home page, which jumps the user directly to the checklist. At the end of the countdown the smartphone camera is activated and the user can simply touch the “Acquire” button to capture the BL image of both the test and control wells. (f) The acquired images are rapidly analyzed on the smartphone and the sample toxicity result is displayed as “Cell viability” value and a warning message (Safe, Harmful, Highly toxic). BL image and results can be also saved for downstream application (i.e. sending results to a central laboratory).
Printed Analytics: Sensing prosthetic device use
New ways to interact
New ways to sense information
New ways to combine devices (e.g. through bluetooth sensing of physical hardware)
Benefits:
Keyboard shortcuts
↑, ←, Pg Up, k | Go to previous slide |
↓, →, Pg Dn, Space, j | Go to next slide |
Home | Go to first slide |
End | Go to last slide |
Number + Return | Go to specific slide |
b / m / f | Toggle blackout / mirrored / fullscreen mode |
c | Clone slideshow |
p | Toggle presenter mode |
s | Start & Stop the presentation timer |
t | Reset the presentation timer |
?, h | Toggle this help |
Esc | Back to slideshow |