A Framework-Informed Analysis of Accessibility Barriers in Desktop 3D Printing Software
Designing Interactive Systems (DIS) - Works-in-Progress Track
Audrey Ballarin, Abigale Stangl, Sushil K. Oswal, Emily Whiting
Abstract
3D printing in principle enables Blind and Low-Vision users to create tactile reference materials and objects, but inaccessible software creates a major barrier for these users. Many graphical user interface (GUI) elements in desktop 3D printing software are undetectable by standard accessibility APIs, such as UI Automation, used by screen readers to expose interfaces. We compare the hierarchies of API-detected elements with those obtained from the software source code, emphasizing detectability as a key metric in desktop accessibility. We assess the screen reader-based operability of core tasks in the 3D printing workflow, such as model positioning and slicing, and identify interface design and framework implementation patterns linked to accessibility failures. This evaluation is conducted on three open-source 3D printing software — Ultimaker Cura, PrusaSlicer, and Bambu Studio — using the NVDA screen reader. These findings provide framework-specific insights to inform retrofit and redesign decisions, contributing to accessible interaction paradigms in fabrication.
Bibtex
@inproceedings{Ballarin_2025,
author = {Ballarin, Audrey and Stangl, Abigale and Oswal, Sushil K. and Whiting, Emily},
title = {A Framework-Informed Analysis of Accessibility Barriers in Desktop 3D Printing Software},
year = {2025},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
doi = {10.1145/3715668.3736342},
booktitle = {Companion Publication of the 2025 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference},
pages = {477–482},
numpages = {6},
series = {DIS '25 Companion}
}