Improving O&M Skills Through the Use of VE

for People Who Are Blind: Past Research and

Future Potential

Improving O&M Skills Through the Use of VE

for People Who Are Blind: Past Research and

Future Potential

O. Lahav

School of Education, Tel Aviv University

O. Lahav

School of Education, Tel Aviv University

Research Goals

Examines VEs that have been researched and

developed for orientation and mobility

preplanning system

Discuss future research and development

Method - Sample Selection

21 peer reviewed papers

Papers were selected based on research

topics:

Virtual environment

People who are blind

Acquisition of a cognitive map

O&M rehabilitation aids

Variables - Descriptive Info.

Dimension Publication year

Affiliation

Discipline

State

Funding

Variables - System Dimension

System features: type, developments’ stage, number of users, location, modality, and user’s input and output device

Haptic feedback: type and variety

Audio feedback: audio system and type of audio feedback

Interaction type: user interaction, virtual object type, operation of the virtual object, and environment scaling

Variables - Research Dimension

Research type: clinic research, type of research, and research goal

Participant: participants’ visual ability, number of participants, age, and gender

Target space: VE representing real space, space complexity, and space location

Research task: length of exposure to VE, type of exploration, construction of cognitive map after exploring VE, and orientation tasks in the real space

Results - Descriptive Info.

Dimension First paper published by Max and González in

1997

Academic institutions 82%

Interdisciplinary researchers 43%

EU research community 67%

Worldwide, governments are the major funders

Results - System DimensionResults - System Dimension % Studies% Studies

System Type Software 77%

Hardware 5%

Software & Hardware 19%

System Stage Prototype 100%

Number of Users Single user 100%

Location Local 100%

System Modality Audio 53%

Haptic 5%

Audio & Haptic 43%

Results - Research Dimension

Clinical research 82%

Preliminary research 67%

Research represent real spaces 67%

Simple spaces 67%

Indoor area 82%

Multimodal systems represented mainly

complex spaces

Results - Research Dimension

Participants preferred active exploration

VE could reduce the stress experienced, as

opposed to the stress experienced in training

in RS

Participants’ physically turning right or left in

a VE caused disorientation

Conclusions

21 unique and creative preplanning

systems developed in the past 15 years

These preplanning system aid the user

to explore, to construct a cognitive map

and to apply this knowledge in the real

space

None of these systems is a shelf product

Future Research

VE exploration process

Construction of cognitive map

Real space navigation

How allocentric and egocentric spatial

representation can influence:

Examine outdoor complex real spaces

Future Implementation

Develop affordable VEs to impact the users’

quality of life, education, and employment

Impact rehabilitation of newly blind

Three years ago....

Three years ago....Computer with screen reader

Talking clock

Mobile manager

Talking clock identifier

Talking label identifier

Smart phone with screen reader

GPS with walking direction mode and screen reader

Reader streamer (play audio content)

Scanner

Digital camera

Three years ago....Computer with screen reader

Talking clock

Mobile manager

Talking clock identifier

Talking label identifier

Cell smart phone with screen reader

GPS with walking direction mode and screen reader

Reader streamer (play audio content)

Scanner

Digital camera

SmartPhone with built-in voice over

One device with one type of operation

mode less cognitive load

Less expensive

Less to carry on

Youngseong Kim & Eunsol Yeom, 2010

Fukushima, The University of Electro-Communications, 2011

Senseg, 2011

Handheld device

Use built-in abilities: screen reader, GPS and sharing information

Tactile feedback by using smart materials

User-friendly system

Dynamic data

Independent operation

Active virtual exploration

Knowledge transfer from VE to real space (install landmarks)

Acknowledgements21 research groups

Graduate students: H. Gedalevitz and I. Milman

European Commission, Marie Curie International

Reintegration Grants (Grant No. FP7-PEOPLE-

2007-4-3-IRG).

Method - Procedure

Collected peer review papers using

snowball sampling

Developed protocol research

Analyzed each paper twice

Results - System DimensionResults - System Dimension % Studies% Studies

User Input & or Output

Average 2.4 devices per system

Tracking System 48%

Keyboard 29%

Phantom 19%

Joystick 15%

Game Controller 15%

Headphones 34%

Loudspeakers 29%

Head-Mounted Display 15%

Audio System Surrounding Audio 40%

Type of Audio Sound localization 85%

Echolocation & Obstacle Perception

40%

Interaction Type Static 91%

Results - Research Dimension

Successfully VE exploration 60-100%

Cognitive maps constructed after VE

exploration

Ability to apply the VE knowledge in real

space 70-100%