OBJECTIVE 01
Collect movement data
Observe real-time movements and limitations in an AR environment.
Research paper · HCI India ’24
Beyond the Steps
Stairway navigation for limb impairment — a springboard for inclusive design with AR.
Context
A stairway makes movement constraints visible.
The study explores how augmented reality can help designers understand lower-limb movement during stairway navigation.
Research gap
Whose movement is represented in design?
Despite AR’s promise, research has paid limited attention to how it works across patient groups. The paper focuses on lower-limb rehabilitation and the role AR could play in understanding everyday mobility.
Problem
The challenge is understanding movement in context.
People with limb impairment still encounter inaccessible environments. The project asks how designers can better see and respond to those movement constraints.
The research question
Can AR help designers understand lower-limb movement on stairs?
Explore movement in context, then use that understanding to inform inclusive design.
OBJECTIVE 02
Test design ideas
Visualize staircase and assistive-product ideas for iterative design.
01 / 02
What we did
From movement capture to an AR stairway prototype
The team combined secondary research with motion capture, model refinement, and AR integration. The final USDZ animation can be viewed on an iPhone and inspected from different angles.
01
Ground the experiment in research
Biomechanics, HCI, and inclusive-design literature informed the conceptual framework, hypothesis, variables, and user-centered trial design.
02
Capture and refine the movement
Rokoko Vision captured a simulated lower-limb amputee gait. A side camera angle improved the capture; Blender adjustments corrected tilt, removed a bent limb, aligned the staircase, and reduced jitter.
03
Convert the model for AR
The refined FBX was converted to USDZ in Apple Reality Converter, then previewed with lighting before export.
Impact
What can designers learn by seeing the movement?
The AR animation offers a way to inspect simulated movement in a stairway context. The paper presents the following as potential applications for future inclusive design work.
Understand user challenges
Inspect gait, balance, and step-related pain points.
Iterate on ideas
Explore supports or grip changes with immediate visual feedback.
Adjust in real time
Use the simulation to review and refine design decisions.
Validate in the field
Test usability and comfort in real-world settings.
Limitations
What still needs to improve?
Amateur experience
Limited experience with AR software created a steep learning curve for the team.
Technology constraints
Capture and AR tools limited simulation fidelity.
Hardware limits
Device constraints affected performance, smoothness, and realism.
Learnings
Inclusive design benefits from seeing movement in context.
Make constraints visible
AR offers a way to explore mobility challenges in the environment where they occur.
Prototype with care
Capture quality and model refinement shape how clearly a simulation communicates movement.
Validate with people
Future field testing can examine usability and comfort with people with disabilities.