Blind and low-vision (BLV) people face many challenges when venturing into public environments, often wishing it were easier to get help from people nearby. Ironically, while many sighted individuals are willing to help, such interactions are infrequent. Asking for help is socially awkward for BLV people, and sighted people lack experience in helping BLV people. Through a mixed-ability research-through-design process, we explore four diverse approaches toward how assistive technology can serve as help supporters that collaborate with both BLV and sighted parties throughout the help process. These approaches span two phases: the connection phase (finding someone to help) and the collaboration phase (facilitating help after finding someone). Our findings from a 20-participant mixed-ability study reveal how help supporters can best facilitate connection, which types of information they should present during both phases, and more. We discuss design implications for future approaches to support face-to-face help.

翻译：盲人与低视力（BLV）人群在进入公共环境时面临诸多挑战，常常希望更容易从附近的人那里获得帮助。矛盾的是，尽管许多明眼人愿意提供帮助，但此类互动并不频繁。对BLV人群而言，寻求帮助会带来社交尴尬，而明眼人也缺乏帮助BLV人群的经验。通过一项混合能力的研究-设计过程，我们探索了四种不同方法，探讨辅助技术如何作为帮助支持者，在整个帮助过程中与BLV和明眼双方协作。这些方法涵盖两个阶段：连接阶段（寻找帮助者）与协作阶段（找到帮助者后促进帮助实施）。基于一项20名参与者的混合能力研究结果，我们揭示了帮助支持者如何最佳地促进连接、应在两阶段中呈现哪些信息类型等关键发现。我们针对未来支持面对面帮助的方法提出了设计启示。