Impact of spatial auditory feedback on the efficiency of iconic human-computer interfaces under conditions of visual impairment

Authors:
Armando B. Barreto;Julie A. Jacko;Peterjohn Hugh
Affiliations:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida International University, 10555 West Flagler Street, Room EC-3956, Miami, FL 33174, USA;School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 765 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332-0205, USA;Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida International University, 10555 West Flagler Street, Room EC-3956, Miami, FL 33174, USA
Venue:
Computers in Human Behavior
Year:
2007

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Abstract

This paper investigates the addition of spatial auditory feedback as a tool to assist people with visual impairments in the use of computers, specifically in tasks involving iconic visual search. In this augmented interface, unique sounds were mapped to visual icons on the screen. As the screen cursor traversed the screen, the user heard sounds of nearby icons, spatially, according to the relative position of each icon with respect to the screen cursor. A software prototype of the design was developed to evaluate the performance of users in the search of icons within the proposed interface. Experiments were conducted with simulated visual impairments on volunteer participants to evaluate if the addition of spatial auditory feedback makes the interface more accessible to users with impaired vision. Results demonstrated that spatialization of icon sounds provides additional remote navigational information to users, enabling new strategies for task completion. Directions for future research are discussed and prioritized.