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We live in an era when technological advances are being developed at an exponential pace. The so-called tech boom is affecting all aspects of life from redefining social interaction to physical activity and health outcomes. It should be no surprise that older adults are an important part of the technological revolution since they represent a sizable and growing section of the world's population. As older adults of the present generation expect a longer lifespan, which increasingly includes some experience with visual impairment, technology increases the potential of remaining healthy and active for as long as possible. Technology in the area of wayfinding represents an important element of the overall strategy to achieve this goal.
Advances in assistive technologies for wayfinding are increasingly being used to facilitate the mobility, independence, and safety of older adults with visual impairments. Technology does not, however, come without risks. Technology for technology's sake may be a false panacea for very real difficulties. Visual disability and its effect on quality of life require that it be addressed in a transdisciplinary approach since it is a significantly complex problem. The way technology is developed depends on many stakeholders who very often have different goals and methods. The needs of industrial developers and investors to produce products that can be sold at a profit and brought to...