Wales Council of the Blind

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See Paintings in a New Light

A PhD researcher at Cardiff University is working on a project to improve visual art (paintings) for people with low vision. The team at Cardiff University have developed some visual enhancements aimed at improving the visual qualities of paintings for people with sight impairments. These visualisations are displayed live on a headset, and the wearer has full control of the strength and brightness of everything. Enhancements include magnification, contrast improvements, sharpness boosting, edge highlighting, and more. Although this is a research study, it has a real-world practical application. They are running trials of the headset at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery and are inviting people from Wales to take part.

The study will involve:

  • Using a cutting-edge headset with “smart glasses” that overlays visual enhancements onto paintings.
  • Experience paintings in a completely new way, seeing details that may have previously been hard to appreciate.
Share your valuable feedback to help refine this transformative technology. There will be a Love2Shop e-Gift Card of up to £30 as a thank-you for your time and feedback, or a card of £10 for those who do not complete the study.

Details are as follows;

  • Who Can Join? People with low vision or who are partially sighted (sight-impaired) can use the headset, which provides visual stimuli.
  • Location: Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
  • Duration: Up to three hours by appointment between April and September 2025.
For more information, including to sign up, contact Paul Goddard: Email: goddardpm@cardiff.ac.uk, Phone: 029 225 10051. This project is a research study conducted by Cardiff University, on-site at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.

Posted on the 28th of May 2025