Guide Play revolutionizes the gaming landscape for the visually impaired with an unprecedented audio innovation. By harnessing the power of state-of-the-art AI and machine learning, our groundbreaking technology translates in-game elements into immersive spatial sounds, offering a pioneering and inclusive approach for visually impaired players to navigate and engage with their virtual worlds.

In a gaming landscape dominated by visually immersive experiences, the background for Guide Play emerged from the stark exclusion of visually impaired individuals, numbering over 50 million worldwide, from enjoying the most played games in the world. The situation highlighted a significant gap in inclusivity, particularly within the first-person shooter genre, where none of the leading titles catered to the needs of the visually impaired. The challenge became the catalyst for JBL's ambitions. Extensive research spanning two years in collaboration with blind societies laid the foundation. The challenge was clear: create an innovative audio solution to enable visually impaired gamers to navigate and engage in these popular games.

Guide Play transforms the gaming experience for the visually impaired by introducing an innovative audio solution. Leveraging cutting-edge A.I and machine learning, the technology converts in-game elements into spatial sounds, providing a unique and accessible way for visually impaired individuals to perceive their virtual environment. The tech brilliance lies in emulating echolocation through JBL Quantum's advanced head tracking and Spatial Audio technology, enhancing players' awareness within the game. By translating visual cues into auditory signals, Guide Play not only addresses the challenge of exclusion but also elevates the overall gaming experience for the visually impaired. The creative concept prioritizes inclusivity and user empowerment, marking a pioneering stride in making the gaming world accessible to a broader audience, ultimately fostering a more diverse and enriched gaming community.

Guide Play took nearly two years through collaboration with blind societies, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the visually impaired gaming community's needs. From research to prototype, to software development, map creation, and final release.

One of the most important aspects of the project was to make the software fully accessible and easy to use. The Guide Play software was built following international accessibility guidelines, ensuring easy navigation for the visually impaired. The software is activated before playing the game, and once opened, players can calibrate the sounds according to their headsets. They can choose the volume of each sound and specify which sounds they want the software to play from a list of over 100. The software also adjusts Spatial Audio automatically.

Another key element of the project, highlighted by the visually impaired community, was the creation of a training map. Guide Play is currently available for Counter-Strike 2, and just like any game, we have created an exclusive map where visually impaired players can practice and become familiar with both the software and the game itself. The map has six distinctive areas, each one designed to train a specific aspect of the game.

Here's the project timeline:

• The research started in Jan 2022.

• Tech development and explorations started in Aug 2023.

• Able Gamers joined the project in Sept 2023.

• The first prototype was tested in Nov 2023.

• The PC software started to be developed in Oct 2023.

• A training map was designed together with the community in Nov 2023.

• The final version of the software was released in January 2024 for over 1,000 players in selected countries.

• It will be made open-source and globally launched in March 2024.

In this innovative approach to gaming accessibility, artificial intelligence (A.I) and machine learning (ML) technologies are harnessed to transform objects and structures within the game environment into distinct sounds. This process involves training algorithms to recognize and interpret visual elements present in the game, translating them into corresponding auditory cues.

More than 100 distinctive sounds were generated for each action. The objective is to provide a means for visually impaired individuals to perceive their spatial surroundings within the virtual realm.

The technology employs a simulation of echolocation, a natural navigation method used by many visually impaired people through apps, where sound reflections are utilized to understand the environment. By emulating echolocation through the sound representation of spatial arrangements, visually impaired players can gain heightened awareness of the layout, objects, and structures in the virtual world.

Guide Play was created to be accessible for all. The use of Quantum is not integral to the experience, although the advanced Head Tracking and Spatial Audio technology from it can make the experience better. Head tracking ensures that the system responds to the movements of the player's head, enhancing the responsiveness of the auditory feedback. Spatial Audio contributes to creating realistic three-dimensional audio environment.

Guide Play will be made open-sourced with the vision of encouraging widespread adoption among companies and developers, facilitating innovation and accessibility enhancements within gaming. By embracing an open-source model, we unlock unparalleled scalability for the project. Originally designed to underscore the significance of audio in gaming and the necessity of quality products for an enjoyable experience, Guide Play transcends the confines of the headset debate; it harbors the potential to revolutionize the entire gaming landscape. Testimonials from numerous visually impaired gamers affirm the software's success and transformative impact.