Using Wii Technology to Explore Real Spaces Via Virtual Environments for People Who Are Blind

Gedalevitz, LahavSchool of EducationTel Aviv University

Tel Aviv, Israel

Battersby, Brown, Evett and MerrittComputing and Technology Team

Nottingham Trent University Nottingham, UK

Using Wii Technology to Explore Real Spaces

Via Virtual Environments for People Who Are Blind

Research Goals

Understand whether blind people can construct a cognitive map by exploring an unknown space using the Virtual-cane (Wii-based VE) and later to apply it in the real space

Research Questions

(1) What exploration strategies and processes do blind people use when working with Virtual-cane?

(2) Does using the Virtual-cane contribute to the construction of a cognitive map?

(3) How does this cognitive map contribute to the blind person’s orientation performance in real spaces?

Last Thing First…The Virtual-cane changed the way the participants explored VEs: More scanning than walking More object-to-object than perimeter strategy Long pauses

Spatial representations were achieved, where Map-model was the main representation

The participants orientation tasks in the real spaces (simple & complex) were performed correctly using a direct path

Walking Scanning(Haptic feedback)

The Virtual-cane

Participants

The participants (N=10) were adults, men and women, totally blind, congenitally and late blind

The participants were divided into two groups: - Experimental group (n=5) - Control group (n=5)

Variables

Exploration process Duration; exploration mode; orientation strategies; and systematic exploration

Cognitive map construction Space components and their location; spatial strategy; and spatial model

Orientation tasks performance Duration; success; type of path; and aids used

Research Instrument

Eight training environments

Research Instrument

Two simulated environments:ComplexSimple

Research Instruments

Tasks Exploration task

Description task

Orientation tasks: Object-oriented Perspective-change Pointing-to-the-location

All tasks were video recorded. The videos were coded using the Interact©

Path drawing Interact ©

O&M Questionnaire & Open Interview

Description task

Orientation tasks in the real space

ProcedureExperimental Group Control Group

Training using the Virtual-cane

Exploration taskin the VE

Exploration task in the real space

&

Meeting #5Simple space

Meeting #1-4

Meeting #6Complex space

&

Meeting #1Simple space

Meeting #2Complex space

Meeting #1

Results >>>>>>>

What exploration strategies and processes do blind people use when working with Virtual-cane?

N Duration(seconds)

Scanning mode Walking modeSpatial strategy

Pauses

Name Distance Perimeter Object to object

Simple

VE

1 1764 37% 33% 2% 6% 23%2 2979 28% 54% 5% 6% 7%3 2312 41% 33% 0% 3% 22%4 3525 45% 21% 4% 3% 28%5 1938 50% 28% 6% 8% 7%Total average 74% 8% 17%

Complex VE

1 1596 51% 22% 1% 7% 21%2 3791 26% 49% 3% 13% 6%3 2683 46% 32% 2% 2% 16%4 5213 43% 23% 5% 6% 22%5 2713 51% 20% 9% 11% 7%Total average 72% 12% 14%

(1)

N Spacecomponents

Spatial strategy Estimated relationship

Spatialrepresentation

Chronology

Simple

VE

1 66% List 4 Map model Structure

2 75% Starting point 11 Map model Structure

3 57% Object to object 9 Route model Structure

4 59% Object to object 15 Map model Structure5 50% Area & Object to

object16 Map model Structure

Complex VE

1 19% List 1 List Structure

2 44% Area 12 Route model Structure

3 38% Object to object 14 Route model Structure4 53% Area & Object to

object15 Map and route

modelStructure

5 46% Area 15 Map model Structure

Does using the Virtual-cane contribute to the construction of a cognitive map?(2)

N Object-oriented tasksDuration

(seconds)Success Direct path

Sim

ple VE

1 358 67% 33%2 180 67% 67%3 117 67% 67%4 174 100% 100%5 137 67% 67%

AVG 193 73% 67%

Com

plex

VE

1 220 50% 0%2 373 50% 50%3 65 0% 0%4 718 0% 0%5 226 50% 50%

AVG 320 30% 20%

How does this cognitive map contribute to the blind person’s orientation performance in the real space?(3)

N Perspective-change tasks PointingDuration

(seconds)Success Direct path Success

Sim

ple VE

1 294 100% 100% 100%2 300 67% 67% 67%3 249 33% 0% 67%4 576 100% 67% 83%5 214 67% 67% 83%

AVG 327 73% 60% 80%

Com

plex

VE

1 604 50% 50% 50%2 639 100% 50% 0%3 529 50% 0% 17%4 665 100% 100% 33%5 322 50% 50% 50%

AVG 552 70% 50% 30%

How does this cognitive map contribute to the blind person’s orientation performance in the real space?(3)

Walking path

N Perspective-Change tasks PointingDuration

(seconds)Success Direct path Success

Sim

ple VE

1 294 100% 100% 100%2 300 67% 67% 67%3 249 33% 0% 67%4 576 100% 67% 83%5 214 67% 67% 83%

AVG 327 73% 60% 80%

Com

plex

VE

1 604 50% 50% 50%2 639 100% 50% 0%3 529 50% 0% 17%4 665 100% 100% 33%5 322 50% 50% 50%

AVG 552 70% 50% 30%

How does this cognitive map contribute to the blind person’s orientation performance in the real space?(3)

Full table

Conclusions The virtual cane changed the way the

participants explored the VEs: More scanning than walking More object-to-object than perimeter

strategy Long pauses

Spatial representations were achieved, where Map-model was the main representation

Conclusions As the spaces became more complex the

cognitive map was less detailed

Participants managed to perform well in most of the tasks in the real simple and complex spaces

Most walking paths were direct to object

Future implementation R&D on outdoor complex spaces

Compare the Virtual-cane with different virtual technologies

Improve the UI for a shorter learning process

Thank you for listening

Special thanksHadas, Steven, David, Lindsay, and Patrick The 10 participants that came voluntary

Itzik and Einat (video’s man)

lahavo@post.tau.ac.il

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