Re: Review and discussion of the WebXR Hit Test Module FPWD

I suggest we amplify as follows.

Joshue wrote:

* Some questions are around potential privacy implications especially
for people with disabilities. For them to fully make use of this module
and its potential, APA are asking if there any aspects of how assistive
technology may use or interact this the dynamics of this module that are
of concern?

ADDING:

In particular, rays could detect objects in the environment such as
artificial limbs, eye trackers, wheel chair(s) or canes, any of which
reveal information about disabilities that the user may not wish to reveal.






Lionel Wolberger
COO, UserWay Inc.
lionel@userway.org
UserWay.org <http://userway.org/>
<https://t.sidekickopen90.com/s3t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7kF8cFFTBW4T_qld2zGCwVN8Jbw_8QsRtKVn1vXj1p1kknW16gGBN41Jd6G101?te=W3R5hFj4cm2zwW4hLZp04myBBCf43Wg2w04&si=8000000004174048&pi=f5e06e9d-e106-4139-a611-4f5a7938964c>[image:
text]


On Wed, Sep 29, 2021 at 4:51 PM Joshue O'Connor <joconnor@w3.org> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I have reviewed the WebXR Hit Test Module FPWD as per my action item. [1]
>
> Overview
>
> It describes a mechanism for allowing WebXR applications to cast rays
> into the users' real world environment and report back, allowing virtual
> objects to be placed in alignment with those surfaces. It's an extension
> of 'WebXR Device API' and 'WebXR Augmented Reality Module'. [2] [3]
>
> NOTE: Hit testing, as understood by this document, is an act of checking
> if a ray intersects with 'real world' as understood by the underlying
> Augmented Reality hardware & software.
>
> While this is rather low level, it kinda bubbles fast IMO. I'd like a
> second opinion in particular because this spec allows a 'scanning' of
> the users environment to overlay stuff onto the external environment.
> I'm initially flagging privacy concerns - but these may be global and
> not particular to people with disabilities.
>
> Here is my draft response regarding this spec:
>
> The Accessible Platform Architectures (APA) working group has reviewed
> the first public working draft of the 'WebXR Hit Test Module'
> https://www.w3.org/TR/webxr-hit-test-1/.
>
> We have the following questions:
>
> * Some questions are around potential privacy implications especially
> for people with disabilities. For them to fully make use of this module
> and its potential, APA are asking if there any aspects of how assistive
> technology may use or interact this the dynamics of this module that are
> of concern?
>
> * APA would like to flag that there may be orientation issues (such as
> Failure due to locking the orientation to landscape or portrait view)
> with this module relating to not 'constraining' how this module uses
> it's overlay technology. [4]
>
> [1] https://www.w3.org/WAI/APA/wiki/WebXR_Hit_Test_Module
> [2] https://www.w3.org/TR/webxr/
> [3] https://github.com/immersive-web/webxr-ar-module/
> [4] https://w3c.github.io/wcag/techniques/failures/F97
>
> Thanks
>
> Josh
>
> --
> Emerging Web Technology Specialist/Accessibility (WAI/W3C)
>
>