BlueEyes: assistive technology for visually impaired and blind people - a bluetooth

This report is presented to draw one solution “people to people” (P2P) through the mobile technology that promotes the change in the field of sustainability in relation to the Application system. The HCI interaction field, as the basis for the study of this project, is defined as a multidisciplinary field of knowledge, focusing on the design of computer technology and, in particular, on the interaction between humans and computers. For the development of this project it was necessary enough research information on the technologies that will be needed to create an application mobile. All this research and design belongs to just one of the various stages of this project that has the base of operations at ESEC

BlueEyes: assistive technology for visually impaired and blind people - a bluetooth

This report is presented to draw one solution “people to people” (P2P) through the mobile technology that promotes the change in the field of sustainability in relation to the Application system. The HCI interaction field, as the basis for the study of this project, is defined as a multidisciplinary field of knowledge, focusing on the design of computer technology and, in particular, on the interaction between humans and computers. For the development of this project it was necessary enough research information on the technologies that will be needed to create an application mobile. All this research and design belongs to just one of the various stages of this project that has the base of operations at ESEC

A Haptic Study to Inclusively Aid Teaching and Learning in the Discipline of Design

Designers are known to use a blend of manual and virtual processes to produce design prototype solutions. For modern designers, computer-aided design (CAD) tools are an essential requirement to begin to develop design concept solutions. CAD, together with augmented reality (AR) systems have altered the face of design practice, as witnessed by the way a designer can now change a 3D concept shape, form, color, pattern, and texture of a product by the click of a button in minutes, rather than the classic approach to labor on a physical model in the studio for hours. However, often CAD can limit a designer’s experience of being ‘hands-on’ with materials and processes. The rise of machine haptic1 (MH) tools have afforded a great potential for designers to feel more ‘hands-on’ with the virtual modeling processes. Through the use of MH, product designers are able to control, virtually sculpt, and manipulate virtual 3D objects on-screen. Design practitioners are well placed to make use of haptics, to augment 3D concept creation which is traditionally a highly tactile process. For similar reasoning, it could also be said that, non-sighted and visually impaired (NS, VI) communities could also benefit from using MH tools to increase touch-based interactions, thereby creating better access for NS, VI designers. In spite of this the use of MH within the design industry (specifically product design), or for use by the non-sighted community is still in its infancy. Therefore the full benefit of haptics to aid non-sighted designers has not yet been fully realised. This thesis empirically investigates the use of multimodal MH as a step closer to improving the virtual hands-on process, for the benefit of NS, VI and fully sighted (FS) Designer-Makers. This thesis comprises four experiments, embedded within four case studies (CS1-4). Case study 1and2 worked with self-employed NS, VI Art Makers at Henshaws College for the Blind and Visual Impaired. The study examined the effects of haptics on NS, VI users, evaluations of experience. Case study 3 and4, featuring experiments 3 and4, have been designed to examine the effects of haptics on distance learning design students at the Open University. The empirical results from all four case studies showed that NS, VI users were able to navigate and perceive virtual objects via the force from the haptically rendered objects on-screen. Moreover, they were assisted by the whole multimodal MH assistance, which in CS2 appeared to offer better assistance to NS versus FS participants. In CS3 and 4 MH and multimodal assistance afforded equal assistance to NS, VI, and FS, but haptics were not as successful in bettering the time results recorded in manual (M) haptic conditions. However, the collision data between M and MH showed little statistical difference. The thesis showed that multimodal MH systems, specifically used in kinesthetic mode have enabled human (non-disabled and disabled) to credibly judge objects within the virtual realm. It also shows that multimodal augmented tooling can improve the interaction and afford better access to the graphical user interface for a wider body of users

A study of the academic needs of students with visual impairments at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville Campus)

Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.Students with visual impairments are often confronted with major challenges at tertiary institutions. This dissertation investigated how students with visual impairments interact in an educational environment that is not designed with their needs in mind. This study further highlighted some of the challenges faced by students with visual impairments at the University of Kwazulu-Natal (Westville Campus) from adequately achieving their academic goals. It also afforded the students with visual impairments an opportunity to become involved in the process of evaluating, planning and bringing about changes in the services that directly affected them. Further it is the intention that the findings of this study will increase the understanding of the university community of the needs of students with visual impairments. This study was exploratory in design as the purpose was to collect as much data as possible in this area of study. A qualitative method using the non probability sampling method was used. This method allowed for the use of the researcher's judgement in identifying and selecting the respondents for the sample group. The sample consisted of 16 students with visual impairments registered at the Westville Campus during the period 2003-2004. To ensure that the respondents understood the procedure of the investigation, the contents of the consent form was made available in alternate format. This is in keeping with the principles of consultation, negotiation, agreement and co- ownership of the research study. In the analysis of this study the information was gathered primarily from an in-depth interview with a schedule. The findings indicated some of the major challenges experienced by students with visual impairments. These were primarily access to academic material, limited human and technological resources, implementation of accommodations during examinations and negative attitude of some members of staff. Recommendations to meet the students' needs focused on university wide education and awareness programmes. Hence, faculties will have to play an important role in facilitating the entry and success of students with visual impairments by making a paradigm shift from the medical/individual explanation of visual disabilities to understanding systemic deficiencies located within the barriers to teaching, learning and support

Multisensory integration in complex rhythmic motor tasks

This publication-based thesis aimed to shed further light on the contributions of visual and auditory information to the execution of complex rhythmic motor tasks. To this end, a series of three empirical studies was designed. The first two studies were conducted in the experimental setting of long jumping – a task that does not only require high precision but also high velocity to leap as far as possible. Within the first study, we aimed to examine visual regulation during the long jump run-up using portable eye-tracking technology. Previous research on the topic of visual regulation in long jumping has identified a universal instance in participants’ gait behavior which introduces a rapid decrease in step variability. Since then, this parameter was considered synonymous with the (gait-based) onset of visual regulation. However, an investigation of actual visual behavior by means of direct measures was still pending to date. Hence, the first study was designed to identify a potential equivalent to the gait-based parameter within participants’ gaze behavior. Results revealed that the moment of the longest gaze on the take-off board coincided with the occurrence of the well-established gait parameter. Given that i) the gait-based visual regulation parameter has been associated with a reduction in footfall variability and ii) current research advocates the idea that fixations of longer duration facilitate motor actions, one might speculate that the longest gaze on the take-off board might as well serve the reduction of movement variability. While the parameter of visual regulation could be characterized in more detail within the first empirical investigation, the impact of other modalities has been neglected so far. However, current research is promoting the idea that, apart from visual information, auditory information might as well be crucial for the execution of motor tasks. ..

Job Match: Together for Good Business - Accommodating Individuals with Special Needs in the Workplace

The purpose of this module is to explain the systematic process needed to successfully employ people with special needs (individuals with disabilities and older individuals). This process may seem most useful to job developers and job coaches whose primary role is vocational training and job development. However, much of the material, particularly the chapters on job analysis (3), job matching (4), and adaptations (5) will be equally useful to employers. This training kit provides information that allows businesses, industries, and employing agencies to work cooperatively to design training and employment programs that meet the needs of individuals with special needs, employers, and rehabilitation personnel

The Utah Statesman, January 12, 2000

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/newspapers/2598/thumbnail.jp