14,927 research outputs found
The tactile sense as a mechanism for the reduction of visual load elicited by control interactions : an automotive case study approach to the development of generic design recommendations
This thesis examines the potential for using tactile feedback to reduce the visual load that can
be associated with interacting with controls. Using the automotive context as a case study, the
thesis describes the process followed in the design of a prototype tactile interface (PTI) for the
control of in-car secondary functionality (navigation, entertainment and climate control). There
have been many examples of the use of active and passive tactile feedback to provide
information to visually impaired people. There is however a paucity of previous research into
the field of tactile feedback in mainstream product design. A literature review was performed
examining various issues that are associated with tactile design including cognitive processing
of tactile inputs, the use oftactile feedback in products used by visually impaired people and
standard control design recommendations. This was followed by the generation of initial
concepts and the first study, which examined how visually impaired people interact with
electronic products that are unfamiliar to them, and also examined how they used their own
equipment. The results from this study, and the literature review findings were combined into a
series of design recommendations for the production of tactile interfaces that aim to reduce the
visual load on the driver. These design recommendations were the basis for an iterative design
process that resulted in the first, non functioning PTI interface model. The first PTI was
constructed using rapid prototype technologies.
The first iteration PTI was examined in the second study, a user trial in a driving simulator.
The study produced encouraging results with a >90% success rate for correct control selection
without vision, whilst performing a driving task. The results from this study were used to refine
the design of the PTI and a working, hi-fidelity prototype was constructed for use in the final
study. This study involved 'on the road' user trials comparing the glance durations made to the
PTI and to a baseline system using a 'repeated measures' structure. The data from these user
trials were examined to determine if the PTI exhibited a reduced visual load when compared to
the baseline system. The results showed the PTI fostered significantly reduced summed glance
durations for 7 of the 11 tasks performed when compared to the baseline system. Three of the
11 tasks that were performed in the study produced a reduction of summed glance duration of
>50%. The PTI was also shown to foster non-visual interaction, with all participants
performing at least one control interaction without looking at the control arrays. The tactile
coding and symbolic layout of the PTI have been shown to be beneficial in terms of reducing
'eyes off road time' and therefore reducing the risk of distraction related accidents.
A review of the results from the three studies described in this thesis has enabled the
development of generic design guidelines for the production of tactile interfaces where a
reduction in visual load is required for the safety of the operator.
The thesis has made a contribution to the understanding of the use of the tactile sense during
product interactions, and highlighting the benefits as well as the limitations of the tactile sense
as a feedback mechanism
An iTV audio description service: suggesting requirements and features for visually impaired users
The ongoing Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) switchover leads to an interesting opportunity for the implementation of advanced television services. Actually, these services can even be interactive, since it is foreseen that the required Set-Top Boxes (STB) could be equipped with an Internet connection. However, among the future clients of DTT there are a large number of elderly and visually impaired people who can not entirely benefit of these services due to their physical limitations. Nevertheless, considering that Interactive Television (iTV) services can contribute to improve life quality of this type of users, it is essential to apply accessibility, usability and design-oriented guidelines for their development. In this context, this paper introduces a research related to universal design applied to iTV, being its aim to propose an advanced and accessible audio description service. In order to perceive the visually impaired users’ problems and needs, a group of individuals was asked to participate in an interview
Mid-air haptic rendering of 2D geometric shapes with a dynamic tactile pointer
An important challenge that affects ultrasonic midair haptics, in contrast to physical touch, is that we lose certain exploratory procedures such as contour following. This makes the task of perceiving geometric properties and shape identification more difficult. Meanwhile, the growing interest in mid-air haptics and their application to various new areas requires an improved understanding of how we perceive specific haptic stimuli, such as icons and control dials in mid-air. We address this challenge
by investigating static and dynamic methods of displaying 2D geometric shapes in mid-air. We display a circle, a square, and a triangle, in either a static or dynamic condition, using ultrasonic mid-air haptics. In the static condition, the shapes are presented as a full outline in mid-air, while in the dynamic condition, a tactile pointer is moved around the perimeter of the shapes. We measure participants’ accuracy and confidence of identifying
shapes in two controlled experiments (n1 = 34, n2 = 25). Results reveal that in the dynamic condition people recognise shapes significantly more accurately, and with higher confidence. We also find that representing polygons as a set of individually drawn haptic strokes, with a short pause at the corners, drastically enhances shape recognition accuracy. Our research supports the design of mid-air haptic user interfaces in application scenarios
such as in-car interactions or assistive technology in education
Spartan Daily, November 15, 2006
Volume 127, Issue 46https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/10304/thumbnail.jp
Multi-sensory Design for people with visual impairments
Architectural design commonly focuses on the visual qualities of its manifestation, leaving people with visual impairments aside from its qualitative goals. In order to counteract this phenomenon and appropriately address people with low visual acuity / legal blindness, we must understand the people within this large community as well as current policies focusing on different types of accommodations for spatial practicality. Understanding the people will entail a dive into what a visual impairment is, what it is like, and understanding how people perceive the world as a whole. Then it is necessary to understand current policies that designers have adopted in order to benefit those with physical disabilities by making all space accessible to all people. After establishing an understanding of the current state of the issue we can move forward by breaking down a set of guiding principle that is based on sensory cues. This will lead to an understanding of how to make architecture a multi-sensory experience for everyone while specifically benefiting those with visual impairments
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