Tactile map automated creation system to enhance the mobility of blind persons: its design concept and evaluation through experiment

Authors:
Kazunori Minatani;Tetsuya Watanabe;Toshimitsu Yamaguchi;Ken Watanabe;Joji Akiyama;Manabi Miyagi;Susumu Oouchi
Affiliations:
National Center for University Entrance Examination, Tokyo, Japan;Faculty of Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Niigata, Niigata, Japan;Faculty of Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Niigata, Niigata, Japan;Faculty of Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Niigata, Niigata, Japan;Faculty of Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Niigata, Niigata, Japan;Tsukuba University of Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan;National Institute of Special Needs Education, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
Venue:
ICCHP'10 Proceedings of the 12th international conference on Computers helping people with special needs
Year:
2010

Citing 0
Cited 5

Making visual maps accessible to the blind

UAHCI'11 Proceedings of the 6th international conference on Universal access in human-computer interaction: users diversity - Volume Part II
Fast and independent access to map directions for people who are blind

Interacting with Computers
Design and user satisfaction of interactive maps for visually impaired people

ICCHP'12 Proceedings of the 13th international conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs - Volume Part II
Designing interactive content with blind users for a perceptual supplementation system

Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction
Facilitating route learning using interactive audio-tactile maps for blind and visually impaired people

CHI '13 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Quantified Score

Hi-index	0.00

Visualization

Abstract

The authors have developed a tactile map creation system (TMACS). It is intended to assist blind persons' independent mobility. For this purpose, the system was designed to produce tactile maps, to be manipulated by the blind person and to support producing tactile maps of arbitrary locations of Japan. Through group interviews with blind persons, the authors collected information on what kind of strategies are useful for independent walk and what kind of objects can function as landmarks. TMACS is developed to make good use of these information. From the walking experiment, some assumptions which were made by the authors were confirmed. On the other hand, some unexpected or contradicted results were observed on the usefulness of landmarks and the cause of losing right routes.