Virtual Leading Blocks for the Deaf-Blind: A Real-Time Way-Finder by Verbal-Nonverbal Hybrid Interface and High-Density RFID Tag Space

  • Authors:

  • Tomohiro Amemiya;Jun Yamashita;Koichi Hirota;Michitaka Hirose

  • Affiliations:

  • The University of Tokyo, Japan;The University of Tokyo, Japan;The University of Tokyo, Japan;The University of Tokyo, Japan

  • Venue:
  • VR '04 Proceedings of the IEEE Virtual Reality 2004
  • Year:
  • 2004

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Abstract

In this paper, we discuss application possibilities ofaugmented reality technologies in the field of mobilitysupport for the Deaf-Blind. We propose the navigationsystem called Virtual Leading Blocks for the Deaf-Blind,which consists of a wearable interface for Finger-Braille,one of the commonly used communication methods amongDeaf-Blind people in Japan, and a ubiquitous environmentfor barrier-free application, which consists of floor-embedded active radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags. The wearable Finger-Braille interface using twoLinux-based wristwatch computers has been developed asa hybrid interface of verbal and nonverbal communicationin order to inform users of their direction and positionthrough the tactile sensation. We propose the metaphor of"watermelon splitting" for navigation by this system andverify the feasibility of the proposed system through experiments.