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Enhancing the Cultural Heritage Experience for People with Disabilities

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Intelligent Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 878

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
The Department of Information Systems, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
Interests: intelligent user interfaces; user modeling; personalization in cultural heritage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Information Systems Department, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel
Interests: human–computer interaction; information visualization

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Guest Editor
Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa 3103301, Israel
Interests: implementation of assistive technology in the health and education fields

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Guest Editor
Department of Software Engineering, Braude Engineering College, Karmiel 21982, Israel
Interests: human-computer interaction; information visualization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cultural heritage (CH) sites play a crucial role in preserving and disseminating cultural knowledge for all visitors. They should ensure accessibility to provide inclusive experiences, allowing individuals with disabilities to fully enjoy and participate equally in their cultural rights with equal opportunity and experience.

Visiting CH sites is challenging for people with disabilities, who make up only about 7% of visitors. In recent years, much attention has been paid to accessible tourism, especially for individuals with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments. Recent technological advances and especially the recent generative AI revolution offer new opportunities for integrating innovative solutions that enhance the experiences of visitors with disabilities, fostering a more inclusive and engaging environment for all.

Therefore, this Special Issue focusses on research related to methods, tools, and techniques to design and develop accessible cultural heritage experiences for people with disabilities. More specifically, we seek papers that describe research that relates to technological solutions that support visitors with visual, motor, dexterity, hearing, and cognitive impairments. The focus is on technologies that provide meaningful and engaging CH experiences, enabling independent visitors through the use of smart environments and mobile applications with customized interfaces adapted to the characteristics of various groups of people with special needs.

Prof. Dr. Tsvi Kuflik
Prof. Joel Lanir
Dr. Alexandra Saad
Dr. Julia Sheidin
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • technology-supported accessibility in cultural heritage
  • enhancing the cultural heritage experience for people with disabilities
  • inclusive design

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

29 pages, 1483 KiB  
Article
Empowering Independence for Visually Impaired Museum Visitors Through Enhanced Accessibility
by Theresa Zaher Nasser, Tsvi Kuflik and Alexandra Danial-Saad
Sensors 2025, 25(15), 4811; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25154811 - 5 Aug 2025
Viewed by 476
Abstract
Museums serve as essential cultural centers, yet their mostly visual exhibits restrict access for blind and partially sighted (BPS) individuals. While recent technological advances have started to bridge this gap, many accessibility solutions focus mainly on basic inclusion rather than promoting independent exploration. [...] Read more.
Museums serve as essential cultural centers, yet their mostly visual exhibits restrict access for blind and partially sighted (BPS) individuals. While recent technological advances have started to bridge this gap, many accessibility solutions focus mainly on basic inclusion rather than promoting independent exploration. This research addresses this limitation by creating features that enable visitors’ independence through customizable interaction patterns and self-paced exploration. It improved upon existing interactive tangible user interfaces (ITUIs) by enhancing their audio content and adding more flexible user control options. A mixed-methods approach evaluated the ITUI’s usability, ability to be used independently, and user satisfaction. Quantitative data were gathered using ITUI-specific satisfaction, usability, comparison, and general preference scales, while insights were obtained through notes taken during a think-aloud protocol as participants interacted with the ITUIs, direct observation, and analysis of video recordings of the experiment. The results showed a strong preference for a Pushbutton-based ITUI, which scored highest in usability (M = 87.5), perceived independence (72%), and user control (76%). Participants stressed the importance of tactile interaction, clear feedback, and customizable audio features like volume and playback speed. These findings underscore the vital role of user control and precise feedback in designing accessible museum experiences. Full article
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