Eelke Folmer has been given a grant of $90,448 from the National Science Foundation. The assistant professor of computer science engineering at University of Nevada, Reno will use these resources to help blind and disabled people enjoy video games. The prototype client that Folmer is creating will allow blind players to navigate Second Life's environment using voice commands alone.
"We are the first to get a grant in gaming accessibility from the NSF," Folmer said. "We're working with a massive multiplayer online game that can potentially offer opportunities for social interactions regardless of disabilities. Our goal is to improve the quality of life for millions of people with disabilities and gaming is a part of that. I'm developing a prototype client for the massive multiplayer virtual world called Second Life that offers a basic level of accessibility for the blind."
"We hope to raise the awareness of game developers so they see that not only is there a market here for them, but that it is really part of their obligation to make these games accessible," he continued. "Modern controls have close to 30 buttons on them, and we want to reduce that interaction to perhaps a one-button shooter for people with disabilities. In the case of blind players, there is a lot we can do with audio cues so that it's still fun to play."
