# "We are at the mercy of others' opinion": Supporting Blind People in Recreational Window Shopping with AI-infused Technology

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.06611 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.06611/

## Key facts

- Cited by 5 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 9 of its 134 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 10 May 2024.

## Builds on (most cited first, 9 of 9)

- [In-Context Retrieval-Augmented Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.00083/) (2023)
- [Captioning Images Taken by People Who Are Blind](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2002.08565/) (2020)
- [Principles and Guidelines for Evaluating Social Robot Navigation Algorithms](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.16740/) (2023)
- [Computer Vision and Conflicting Values: Describing People with Automated Alt Text](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2105.12754/) (2021)
- [Understanding Visual Arts Experiences of Blind People](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.12687/) (2023)
- [Towards Robotic Companions: Understanding Handler-Guide Dog Interactions for Informed Guide Dog Robot Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.06790/) (2024)
- [Data Representativeness in Accessibility Datasets: A Meta-Analysis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.08037/) (2022)
- [ViNTER: Image Narrative Generation with Emotion-Arc-Aware Transformer](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2202.07305/) (2022)
- [Accessing Passersby Proxemic Signals through a Head-Worn Camera: Opportunities and Limitations for the Blind](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.06121/) (2021)

## Built on by (most cited first, 5 of 5)

- [Towards Understanding the Use of MLLM-Enabled Applications for Visual Interpretation by Blind and Low Vision People](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.05899/) (2025)
- [How Multimodal Large Language Models Support Access to Visual Information: A Diary Study With Blind and Low Vision People](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.13469/) (2026)
- [More than One Step at a Time: Designing Procedural Feedback for Non-visual Makeup Routines](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.03942/) (2025)
- [ShelfAware: Real-Time Semantic Localization in Quasi-Static Environments with Low-Cost Sensors](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.09065/) (2025)
- [GIST: Multimodal Knowledge Extraction and Spatial Grounding via Intelligent Semantic Topology](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.15495/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Engaging in recreational activities in public spaces poses challenges for blind people, often involving dependency on sighted help. Window shopping is a key recreational activity that remains inaccessible. In this paper, we investigate the information needs, challenges, and current approaches blind people have to recreational window shopping to inform the design of existing wayfinding and navigation technology for supporting blind shoppers in exploration and serendipitous discovery. We conduct a formative study with a total of 18 blind participants that include both focus groups (N=8) and interviews for requirements analysis (N=10). We find that there is a desire for push notifications of promotional information and pull notifications about shops of interest such as the targeted audience of a brand. Information about obstacles and points-of-interest required customization depending on one's mobility aid as well as presence of a crowd, children, and wheelchair users. We translate these findings into specific information modalities and rendering in the context of two existing AI-infused assistive applications: NavCog (a turn-by-turn navigation app) and Cabot (a navigation robot).