Assistive Indoor Climbing

Redesigning the Indoor Climbing Experience to Enable Independent Route Navigation through Illuminated Holds, Haptic Guidance, and Inclusive Interaction Design

 

 

 

 

Role Company Industry Duration Year
UX researcher & Designer HvA Assistive Technology / Accessibility Design 4 weeks December 2023

Our objective was to develop an accessible technological solution that enhances spatial awareness, navigation, and hold identification for visually impaired climbers, fostering independence and inclusivity in their athletic experience.

Brief:
This brief explores how digital technology can empower athletes with disabilities by enhancing their independence and autonomy. It asks whether technology can help bridge the gap between their aspirations—their drive as “homo sportivus”—and the physical limitations they face, especially for amateur athletes without the resources that professionals rely on.

Goal:
Identify the key challenges faced by visually impaired climbers and opportunities to improve their climbing experience.

Research Question:
How can technology enhance spatial awareness and navigation for visually impaired climbers to foster independence and inclusivity?

Problem

  • Reliance on guides: Visually impaired climbers depend heavily on human guides for spatial awareness, limiting their independence during climbing activities.
  • Limited spatial awareness tools: Current solutions* do not effectively enhance spatial perception or navigation for climbers with visual impairments.
  • Difficulty in identifying holds: Climbers face challenges in accurately locating and navigating holds, which affects their confidence and performance.
  • Accessibility barriers: Existing assistive technologies are often expensive, difficult to access, and not widely available to amateur athletes.
  • Lack of inclusivity in climbing environments: Many climbing setups are not designed with visually impaired athletes in mind, creating a gap in fostering inclusivity and autonomy.
problem-Paravengers-Diagram

Stakeholder and User Interviews:

  • Visually impaired climbers (primary users).
  • Climbing guides and coaches.
  • Accessibility experts and climbing facility operators.

Focus Areas:

  • Current climbing practices and pain points.
  • Accessibility challenges and unmet needs.
  • Feedback on existing assistive technologies.
Persona with Journey Map
Thematic Analysis

 

Codes Theme
Climbing Process Challenges:
  • Reliance on tactile feedback and touch for navigation.
  • Difficulty in identifying and remembering climbing holds.
  • Preference for preplanning routes.
Technology Use:
  • Climbers prefer minimal or no technology while climbing.
  • Wearable devices disrupt the climbing process.
  • Interest in scalable, non-intrusive haptic technology.
Community and Independence:
  • Building a supportive and inclusive climbing community.
  • Desire for greater independence in climbing activities.
  • Collaboration with sighted guides and climbing partners.
Inclusivity and Accessibility:
  • Existing climbing setups are not designed for visually impaired users.
  • Need for affordable and scalable solutions.
  • Challenges in adapting traditional methods for inclusive climbing.
Power-Interest Matrix

Competitive Analysis Overview:

The radar chart provides a comparative analysis of existing solutions for visually impaired climbers across five key factors: Real-Time Feedback, Accessibility, Scalability, Affordability, and Non-Intrusiveness. Each competitor is rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest level of performance.

Ideation Workshops: Collaborative Solutions in Action

What It Was About:
“To gain insights and inform our ideation process, we explored real-world experiences of visually impaired climbers through various methods. These workshops were designed to brainstorm and prototype solutions that address their unique challenges.”

Approach Highlights:

  • Watched numerous YouTube videos featuring visually impaired climbers to understand their techniques, struggles, and workarounds.
  • Conducted site visits to indoor climbing halls to observe the climbing environment and accessibility firsthand.
  • Held interviews with a climbing coach to gather expert opinions and learn about the specific needs of visually impaired climbers.

the Paravengers Solutions

Modular Boards with Grey Holds:

1. Illuminated Pathways: Each path can light up based on difficulty levels, controlled through a digital control panel.
2. Audio Assistance: Optional audio guidance can be provided through the panel to enhance the climber’s experience.
3. Scalability: The system is modular and customizable, allowing stakeholders to choose specific features they want to implement, making it versatile for different climbing facilities.

Haptic Preplanning Board:

Enables climbers to preplan their route by tactically feeling the layout of the climbing wall.
Designed to avoid interfering with the actual climbing experience by eliminating active technological involvement during the climb.

LEGO-Inspired

Haptic Board

Different Abilities, Same Passion, Shared Heights

ThingsCon Exhibition 2023 – Rotterdam