Purpose of the research study:
The
biggest barrier to the independence of the visually impaired is often
the problem of mobility. Mobility training is difficult and
intimidating.
The
project uses publicly available 3D models of buildings, towns and
cities to automatically generate audio-based “maps” for the
blind. The visually impaired can then use these “maps” to explore
environments virtually. These “maps” use 3D audio and
text-to-speech to convey information to the user. With
this software, users become accustomed to the layout of the
environment and memorize routes they can use in real-world
navigation. While this technology is most beneficial to the visually
impaired, this study is also open to sighted individuals.These maps can offer varying level of detail; the purpose of this study is to discover whether or not more detailed audio information leads to better recall of layouts and routing.
What you will do in the study:
Using an Android tablet and headphones, you will explore a 3D audio
environment for a limited amount of time. To encourage focus, you
will be blindfolded while exploring. After a tutorial, you will be expected to explore
independently. When the time limit has passed, you will be asked a
series of questions about the environment you explored.
Time required: One
to two hours continuously.
