Blind Barbie And Assistive Technology For Visual Impairment

In July 2024, Mattel released Barbie Fashionista Doll 228, also known as “Blind Barbie,” which was developed with guidance from the American Foundation for the Blind and the Royal National Institute of Blind People. As a white cane user with low vision who loves wearing colorful outfits, I thought that the doll served as a great conversation starter for talking about using different types of assistive technology and skills used by people with visual impairments, plus it could be a great confidence boost for a white cane user looking for representation. Here is a list of examples of accessible design elements for Blind Barbie and how Barbie might use assistive technology.

Barbie is written in contracted (Grade 2) braille

The blind Barbie Fashionistas box has contracted tactile braille printed on the bottom right corner that spells Barbie. The first raised dot (dot 6), indicates that the first letter B (dot 1 and dot 2) is capitalized, and the tactile dots are imprinted on the clear plastic packaging.

Contracted braille, also known as Grade 2 braille, has cells for specific letter combinations and words, which can help make it faster to read and is typically used for signs and transcripts. In this case, the AR in Barbie is a part-word contraction or Groupsign, with dot 3, dot 4 and dot 5 embossed.

While many people think of braille as a language or as similar to sign language, it’s actually a tactile writing system. There are six dots in each braille cell (though some systems use eight dots), and the different combinations of raised dots are used to show letters, numbers, punctuation and symbols. Almost all modern languages can be transcribed into braille, and each language has its own system of how braille is encoded.

Barbie’s cane goes up to her shoulder and has a marshmallow tip

Barbie’s white cane (also known as a blindness cane) is a great size for her! Canes that are too large or too small can cause injuries or make it more challenging for the user to move their cane around on the ground. Barbie’s cane handle reaches the collarbone/shoulder blade, though some people prefer longer canes depending on the type of white cane they have and their cane technique.

Another characteristic of Barbie’s cane is that it has a marshmallow tip with a high contrast red stripe on the bottom, which can help users with low vision navigate curbs or other surfaces and also provides additional visual contrast for bystanders or people who are driving. I personally use a marshmallow tip cane because it can rotate 360 degrees and can go across a wide variety of surfaces while maintaining constant contact with the ground, though Barbie’s cane tip does not roll (probably because it could easily break off during play). Barbie likely worked with a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) to find the cane that works best for her.

Barbie’s cane is removable

Barbie’s cane is not attached to her hand at all times because she might not always need it. If she’s at home or in a familiar environment, she might touch walls or railings with her hand to help her navigate around a space, or use high contrast colors or visual landmarks to figure out where she is.

While Barbie’s cane is rigid, there are also options for purchasing collapsible canes that fold into 3-6 segments (depending on the length of the cane) and can be stored in a smaller area or rest in a lap. Barbie can store her cane when not in use by hanging it on a hook, placing it in an umbrella holder or similar area, or placing it in an area where no one else can trip on it.

Barbie’s clothes are colorful and can be identified through touch

Barbie’s outfit features a light pink satin shirt and purple ruffle skirt with metallic edges, which are colorful and can be identified through touch, which is helpful when choosing clothes whether they are in a store or in a drawer/closet at home. When choosing a new outfit, Barbie could also use other assistive technologies to identify clothes like a color reader, clothes labeling system or utilize a closet organizing system to quickly identify clothing items. She also might find it easier to hang items in the closet (especially if it has extra lighting) instead of folding them in drawers, but this is up to personal preference.

Barbie is wearing makeup

There are many strategies for applying makeup with visual impairment that Barbie can utilize, which may include:

Tactile packaging for product identification, or organizing products
Identifying products by color, texture and/or smell
Using visual assistance applications to read a label, check colors, or scan product barcodes
Selecting short makeup brushes or applicators
High-contrast makeup tools and organizers
Using a desktop video magnifier or front-facing camera/computer webcam to zoom in
Positioning an iPad or other tablet screen and using the front-facing camera, with an optional magnifier app
Low vision tools like magnified mirrors or adding additional lighting to a space
Contacting a Specialized Help partner through Be My Eyes like Ulta or Mary Kay, which can provide information on products
Specialty applications like Estee Lauder’s Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistant
Using tips from a blind/low vision beauty blogger or content creator; many of my friends are huge fans of Molly Burke, and I linked a few others below. Friends with albinism also mentioned finding tons of resources on Instagram.

Barbie can also use tools like Pinterest and Instagram to browse for beauty inspiration by viewing high-resolution images with alt text or image descriptions added that share more information about the visual characteristics of an image, and detailed captions/text posts that provide links to products.

Barbie’s arms can be positioned to walk with a human guide

Barbie’s arms and elbows can be repositioned so she can walk alongside a human guide, holding onto their elbows or bending her elbow/extending her arm in front of her to guide another person with visual impairment. While a human guide is not a direct substitute for using a white cane or other mobility aid, there are situations where someone might rely solely on a human guide or they will use a human guide along with a cane.

In the field of visual impairment, the term human guide is preferred over the term sighted guide, because a person does not necessarily need to be sighted to be a human guide. I have low vision and have served as a human guide for some of my blind friends, and I’ve also had human guides that were blind and that had stronger travel skills or were more familiar with an environment than I was. There are also non-human guide options for people with vision loss, such as a guide dog or guide horse, though I do not have any personal experience using these.

Barbie’s glasses can help her manage photophobia (light sensitivity)

Bright lights and glare can make it challenging for some individuals to use their vision effectively, and non-polarized or tinted glasses can help to minimize the effects of bright light and make it easier to travel, especially on sunny days or when walking through snow. Barbie’s sunglasses are removable, so she can choose what environments she wants to use them in.

Another consideration is that Barbie may not wear prescription glasses since they may not provide any benefit or help her use her vision more effectively, depending on the type of eye condition and/or brain condition contributing to her vision loss. Alternatively, she may be wearing contacts. Low vision is vision loss that cannot be corrected by glasses, contacts, or surgery, and she is likely followed by a low vision specialist who monitors her condition.

APA Citation

Lewis, V. (2024, July 23). Blind Barbie and Assistive Technology For Visual Impairment. Veroniiiica. Retrieved August 23, 2026, from https://veroniiiica.com/blind-barbie-assistive-technology/

Blind Barbie and Assistive Technology For Visual Impairment

Barbie is written in contracted (Grade 2) braille

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Barbie’s cane goes up to her shoulder and has a marshmallow tip

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Barbie’s cane is removable

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Barbie’s clothes are colorful and can be identified through touch

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Barbie is wearing makeup

Barbie’s arms can be positioned to walk with a human guide

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Barbie’s glasses can help her manage photophobia (light sensitivity)

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More Blind Barbie resources and ideas

APA Citation

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