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Applied research in the design of assistive technologies for people with visual impairment
Objective. To characterize recent developments in assistive technologies aimed at supporting autonomous mobility and navigation for people with visual impairment by developing a state-of-the-art review that identifies technological trends, contributions, and the main limitations of existing solutions. Method. A literature review was conducted using a qualitative documentary approach with an exploratory-descriptive scope. The search included secondary sources published between 2014 and 2025 and retrieved from Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and IEEE Xplore. Google Scholar was used as a complementary source for theses and grey literature. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, a final corpus of 14 documents on assistive technologies was selected and complemented with contextual and methodological sources for comparative analysis. The review examined smart canes, wearable devices, assisted navigation systems, and mobile applications based on artificial intelligence. Results. Three major trends were identified: the increasing use of artificial intelligence and computer vision to support interaction with the environment; a shift from conventional white canes toward wearable solutions focused on greater user autonomy; and the integration of haptic and auditory feedback as a recurrent component of recent developments. However, important limitations remain, including insufficient validation in everyday environments, limited obstacle-detection accuracy, high energy consumption, and economic barriers to access. Conclusion. Assistive technologies show significant potential to improve autonomous mobility; however, their effective impact requires the integration of technological, ergonomic, and social dimensions into user-centered design processes focused on safety, accessibility, quality of life, and inclusion of people with visual impairment, particularly within the Colombian context.
