More complex and accurate gaming for the sight impaired... Enter the RAD

A Columbia University Ph. D track student, Brian A. Smith, has invented a system which he calls the RAD, or Racing Auditory Display, which is a more sophisticated system then the currently available technology for allowing those with impaired sight access to video gaming in the racing genre. According to Smith, the systems that are currently available either "overload the player with too much information," or resort to no complexity at all in order to cater to their target audience's disability. The article states that the program Smith integrated his platform to is Unity. After doing a little research online, I learned that Unity was used in the creation of the Android version of Temple Run, Angry Birds 2, and even a game that I've wasted some hours on, Plague Inc, so the engine is built for enjoyable games with a healthy level of complexity. Using the article and the included video was difficult, as it refused to load fully, but I found a version on YouTube that allowed me to properly experience a little of the included features. Here is the link to that particular video. I am under the impression that the limited information within the video was due to copyright, as the tester was muted once he started describing how it works. The only information on specifics was copied directly to the article, stating that, "The RAD comprises two novel sonification techniques: a sound slider for understanding a car’s speed and trajectory on a racetrack, and a turn indicator system for alerting players about upcoming turns well in advance of the actual turns." Smith claims that subjects testing the game with sight impairment had comparable track times to those tested with sight, if taken into account that sighted persons skilled in the genre landed higher scores due to an enhanced ability to cut corners on turns. He noted that seeing a relatively level playing field for sighted and non-sighted participants is something that has never been seen until now.
This is a huge turn for the gaming industry, and it baffles my mind. I still can't wrap my head around the process someone would have to go through in order to drive at a simulated 70+ mph and turn at all without smashing into the landscaping. It's easy enough to test this by closing your eyes, and imagining that you are playing this game. Sounds are telling you when to turn, how much to turn, and give you an indicator to determine the speeds that you are going. It is an impossible exercise for me, without experiencing the program, to imagine this without the game getting wordy, confusing, and being downright unsuccessful. I myself struggle when someone walks in front of me for less than a second while gaming, let alone no visual cues at all, and so I chose this article specifically because of my interest in gaming and innovations to enhance the experiences of those with disabilities, such as prosthetic limbs. The RAD system is built to be incorporated into any racing game that a client would be interested in, which means that a lot more of the industry can cater to these consumers. It also opens up the field for other technologies down the road to expand this horizon into other game genres, so this is definitely an exciting development.

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