Criteria employed by potential recipients considering adopting emerging visual technologies: The case of visual prostheses

The manner in which emerging technologies like visual prostheses – implantable devices intended to restore functional sight to people with vision impairment – are implemented by relevant healthcare providers and systems should be informed from multiple stakeholder viewpoints, including that of potential recipients. Visual prostheses are approaching use by healthcare professionals involved in the treatment and/or rehabilitation of vision impairment, however, there is very little available data describing what people with vision impairment want from the performance and functioning of such devices. Exploring their decision-making regarding experimental visual prostheses may help provide such insights. After receiving information on a cortical visual prosthesis, three focus groups and one interview were conducted with 13 adults with vision impairment to discuss factors involved in their decision-making around participation in its experimental trials. The study illuminated several of their expectations and concerns regarding visual prostheses: they hoped the device would afford greater independence, mobility and engagement in an active and social life, and wanted it to be safe, upgradable, inconspicuous and practically manageable. These findings reinforce many of those obtained in the sparse previously published literature while contributing some useful additional insights into what people with vision impairment want from the user interface, device׳s functioning and regarding tasks it will aid. These insights will be useful to service providers to guide this technology׳s gradual adoption into their practise. Variation in participant considerations with level of remaining vision and age indicate further focused research with larger and more varied samples is needed.