A former University of Huddersfield student has invented a way blind and partially sighted people can develop computer games and music.
Freya Shaw, who is registered blind, devised the Hodr Engine software system which is named after a blind god in Norse mythology after struggling to find software to do what she needed.
Dr Alex Harker, senior lecturer in music and music technology at the University of Huddersfield, said: “Freya has taken her own experiences of software development, as well as her passion for immersive audio and gaming, and created a vitally important tool for addressing issues of inclusion both for gamers and game developers.
“This work is important, not only in that it provides a tool through which blind and visually-impaired users can engage with game development, but also in the impact of the project in raising awareness of accessibility issues so that software development in general might become more inclusive. It’s been a pleasure to see this work go out into the world where it can make a real difference.”