VRMD

The type of this project is a research design. Infographics, images, and short information will explain the researched information. A website is selected to translate text information into professional digital designs. The topic of this project is the relationship between Virtual Reality and Motor Disability. Virtual Reality has been invented, researched, and applied to various aspects of human lives for decades. The helpful development of Virtual Reality in healthcare, education, defense, or economics proves the ambitious need for this technology in human lives. Following this topic, virtual reality developers would like to bring a three-dimensional space to transform the lives of people or disabilities. They focus on researching how to apply it to rehabilitate various types of motor disabilities. Besides the benefits, virtual Reality also exits many risks for users. The changes come from physical reactions between users and devices and outside reasons such as budgets.

To bring those benefits and challenges to light, I conducted this research with a consultant who is an expert researching the relationship between disabilities and Virtual Reality. Through this project, I would also like to prove to everybody who thinks that graphic designers not only create designs for entertainment or advertisement but also create things that benefit human life.

Initial Question

How Could Virtual Reality Transform the Life Experiences of people with physical disabilities?

Refined Question

What are the benefits and challenges that motor disabilities people encounter when experiencing virtual reality technology?

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this research is to define clearly what virtual reality and motor disabilities are, explore the positive experiences that motor disabilities have when they use virtual reality, expose the disadvantages that motor disabilities face when they approach virtual reality, and make a bridge between virtual reality and motor disabilities.

Research Method 1 – Archival Research

Peer-reviewed sources

Most of the articles used in this research aim to explain the case studies about applying virtual reality in helping disabilities rehabilitate. The experts in this industry conducted much research at colleges and virtual reality companies. Their materials are mainly video games combined with a virtual reality system. Each research focuses on different subjects and gives different results. The general purpose is to determine the best way for disabilities to use virtual reality.

Special Collections

The sources used in this research are James Madison University Library, Encyclopædia Britannica, Google Scholar, and reliable websites and organizations. James Madison University provides free access to all sources for its students. Encyclopædia Britannica is used to explore about history of virtual reality and who invented virtual reality. Google Scholar and reliable websites and organizations provide more relevant information about how people create and use virtual reality for disabilities at the current time.

Primary sources

Researching documentary videos and case studies related to virtual reality and disabilities helps gather the correct information. In documentary videos, the researchers clearly explain their process, method, treatment, materials, discussion, and results of what they study through film and images. In the case studies, the information lets us know more details about the process in writing. It is organized and provides us with statistics.

Research Method 2 – Social Research: Interview

The subject

Thomas Logan, CEO of Equal Entry Company, an organizer of the Meetup website, and a consultant for virtual reality developers and companies, which works with disabilities.

Equal Entry Company

Equal Entry is a company founded in 2021 by Thomas Logan, an accessibility expert. He worked as a consultant for reliable and large companies and government agencies to help them meet their accessibility goals for many years. When he gained enough experience, he established Equal Entry to educate the public about accessibility. The company is built by team members from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Their mission is to help their clients build products suitable for people with disabilities and try to create good customer services for virtual reality companies.

Questions for Thomas Logan

What is the most difficult when you work with disabilities, please give me an example?
What are the virtual reality companies that you currently work with?
How do you think about the customer services of some virtual reality companies which you work with?
Do you think that some famous virtual reality companies such as Walkin VR try to sell their client’s information?
What are the most challenges that users encounter when they use virtual reality?
Do you think what is the best way to help disabilities access virtual reality system?

VIRTUAL REALITY AND MOTOR DISABILITY

Initial Question

Refined Question

Purpose Statement

Audiences

Research Method 1 – Archival Research

Peer-reviewed sources

Special Collections

Primary sources

Research Method 2 – Social Research: Interview

The subject

Equal Entry Company

Questions for Thomas Logan

Logos

Colors

Product – Website – Walkthrough – Interactive

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