Taheri emphasizes that societal barriers, rather than disabilities themselves, create obstacles for individuals, advocating for accessible digital solutions that benefit everyone, regardless of their current abilities.

Patrick Carrington, another assistant professor at CMU, points out that while there has been progress in accessibility for those with low or no vision, considerations for physical interactions in VR and augmented reality (AR) have lagged behind until recently.

Taheri's research focuses on customizing VR experiences to better accommodate individuals unfamiliar with the sensations of walking, emphasizing the need for inclusive design in emerging technologies.

Atieh Taheri, a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University, experienced discomfort while using virtual reality (VR) for the first time due to her spinal muscular atrophy, highlighting a significant gap in VR design for users with motor disabilities.

This personal experience motivated Taheri to focus her research on accessibility, leading her to develop hands-free video game controllers that utilize facial recognition technology.

As VR technology shifts towards gesture-based controls, Carrington's research aims to ensure these systems remain usable for individuals with motor impairments by creating a taxonomy of hand gestures that can be remapped for accessibility.

Researchers at CMU advocate for the early integration of accessibility features in VR and AR systems to avoid future complications, contrasting this approach with that of the smartphone industry.

David Lindlbauer, an HCII assistant professor, notes that accessibility in VR is often considered an afterthought, echoing concerns about its development trajectory in comparison to smartphones.

Carrington's lab is also working on WheelPoser, a system designed to track body movement using fewer sensors, addressing the lack of motion capture methods for wheelchair users in fitness and VR contexts.

The applications of VR and AR are expanding beyond gaming to fields like skill training and healthcare, creating new opportunities for people with disabilities, such as virtual travel experiences and remote surgical assistance.