DIFFABILITY
MATTHEW BUTLER AND LEONA HOLLOWAY (Australia)
Is uniting two people’s senses superior to an individual’s?
There is no such thing as perfection, only trade-offs between strengths and weaknesses. Just as in computer games where characters can be created by dividing a finite score among possible powers, in order to focus on one area of strength you may need to neglect other areas that then become weaknesses. A weakness in one area can be compensated for by developing a "superpower" in another. One such example is the use of echolocation by people who are blind - attuning their attention to the echoes off surrounding surfaces to navigate through the world. In this project exploring notions of perfection in the context of “disability or diffability”, two virtually co-located participants will engage in a cooperative adventure in a simple environment, using their unique abilities to solve the mystery of their surroundings.
Matthew Butler and Leona Holloway are researchers at the SensiLab research laboratory at Monash University. Their research focuses the use of new low-cost technologies such as 3D printing and electronics to improve the provision of accessible graphical information. Working with the vision impaired community and sector stakeholders, they are exploring how they can create more accessible experiences with graphics, by designing and creating learning objects, maps and plans for orientation and mobility, and accessible version of gallery artworks such as painting and sculpture.