Simulating visual impairments using the Unreal Engine 3 game engine

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a visual impairment simulator created using the Unreal Engine 3 game engine. A game mod based upon the Unreal Tournament 3 game was produced which harnessed the game engines post process chain functionality to reproduce the appearance of a series of visual impairments. This virtual reality environment was then tested by 3 different user groups: A set of professionally qualified opticians, a visually impaired consultant who runs impairment awareness workshops, and a group of students. The paper concludes that the Unreal Engine 3 was a suitable platform for developing an effective and accurate simulation of visual impairments. It also demonstrates that, following exposure to the virtual environment, users of the simulation reported and demonstrated a greater awareness of the nature of visual impairments. Furthermore they reported improved understanding of the difficulties visually impaired people face.