The Role of Sonification as a Code Navigation Aid: Improving Programming Structure Readability and Understandability For Non-Visual Users

Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) play an important role in the workflow of many software developers, e.g. providing syntactic highlighting or other navigation aids to support the creation of lengthy codebases. Unfortunately, such complex visual information is difficult to convey with current screen-reader technologies, thereby creating barriers for programmers who are blind, who are nevertheless using IDEs. This dissertation is focused on utilizing audio-based techniques to assist non-visual programmers when navigating through large amounts of code. Recently, audio generation techniques have seen major improvements in their capabilities to covey visually-based information to both sighted and non-visual users – making them a potential candidate for providing useful information, especially in places where information is visually structured. However, there is little known about the usability of such techniques in software development. Therefore, we investigated whether audio-based techniques capable of providing useful information about the code structure to assist non-visual programmers. The major contributions in this dissertation are split into two major parts: The first part of this dissertation explains our prior work that investigates the major challenges in software development faced by non-visual programmers, specifically code navigation difficulties. It also discusses areas of improvement where additional features could be developed in order to make the programming environment more accessible to non-visual programmers. The second part of this dissertation focuses on studies aimed to evaluate the usability and efficacy of audio-based techniques for conveying the structure of the programming codebase, which was suggested by the stakeholders in Part I. Specifically, we investigated various sound effects, audio parameters, and different interaction techniques to determine whether these techniques could provide adequate support to assist non-visual programmers when navigating through lengthy codebases. In Part II, we discussed the methodological aspects of evaluating the above-mentioned techniques with the stakeholders and examine these techniques using an audio-based prototype that was designed to control audio timing, locations, and methods of interaction. A set of design guidelines are provided based on the evaluation described previously to suggest including an auditory-based feedback system in the programming environment in efforts to improve code structure readability and understandability for assisting non-visual programmers

Sale Disability Center

The goal of this project was to investigate changes to improve physical navigation within the Mohammed VI Center for the Disabled, in Salé, Morocco and enhancements to the centers online website. Working in collaboration with Mr. Massou and Mr. El Mellouki of the Mohammed VI Center for the Disabled, our team utilized surveys, interviews, and a focus group to determine the centers needs for an improved signage system and an updated website. Final recommendations to facilitate center navigation include a standard for signage using pictograms and color coding throughout the center. Additionally, our team developed detailed recommendations for updating the formatting and content of the website to make it more accessible and attractive for center staff, NGOs, and other website visitors

GPS Technology to Aid the Blind and Partially Sighted in Copenhagen, Denmark

This project, jointly sponsored in Copenhagen by the Danish Association of the Blind (DBS) and the Euman Company, assessed the feasibility of using Euman\u27s LifePilot GPS technology for blind and partially sighted individuals. After conducting literature research as well as surveys and focus groups, the team concluded that there is a potential for Euman technology, currently being developed, and an overall need for navigational aids, and recommended a variety of features for a GPS based device that would prove useful in the visually impaired community

Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities: A Manual For High Schools, Colleges, and Graduate Programs - Edition 4.1

Ever since it was first published, Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities: A Manual for High Schools, Colleges, and Graduate Programs has served as a vital resource in the chemistry classroom and laboratory to students with disabilities as well as their parents, teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators. The comprehensive 4th edition was last updated in 2001, so the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Committee on Chemists with Disabilities (CWD) thought it prudent to update such a valuable text at this time. In a changing time of technology, rapid access to information, accessibility tools for individuals with disabilities, and publishing, Edition 4.1 is being published digitally/online as an Open Access text. Having Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities: A Manual for High Schools, Colleges, and Graduate Programs in this format will allow for widespread dissemination and access by maximum numbers of readers at no cost- and will allow the text to remain economically sustainable.https://scholarworks.rit.edu/ritbooks/1001/thumbnail.jp

The Evacuation Simulation of Wheelchair Users in a Building Fire: An Initial Dynamic Characterization of Structural Egress Components

People with disabilities are one of the most vulnerable groups involved in building fires. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, in the United States alone, an estimated 700 home fires involve people with physical disabilities each year while over 1700 involve those with mental health disorders. Despite this, the current body of literature shows few studies focused on the evacuation of disabled people. This is a direct result of past and present social injustice on people with disabilities and has resulted in high injury and death rates during fires. To combat this, enrich the literature, and improve their experiences in the built environment, this thesis marks the inaugural study of an ongoing project that aims to include all forms of disability in building fire research. This is initiated through the identification of four general disability categories involved in evacuation: functional independence, sensory perception, medical health, and social cognition. By far the most abundant category, functional independence (physical disabilities) provides a starting point for future reference. Therefore, this thesis experiment involves the simulation of 1-3 wheelchair users in a building population of 80 occupants. Two iterations of simulations were completed for a low-rise university apartment building using the evacuation software Pathfinder, and the resulting 327 simulations were analyzed for potential structural aids and barriers to the evacuation process. As a byproduct of this research, a dynamic structural ranking system of egress components is proposed for wheelchair users. Overall, the goal of this research is to provide a connection between people with disabilities and engineers and officials in the structural fire field—therefore increasing awareness among the non-disabled community and improving access and egress in the built environment. Additionally, suggestions for structural modifications are provided to improve egressibility of the simulated building. Finally, the limitations and challenges of the research are identified, and plans for future research are provided

Voice and Touch Diagrams (VATagrams) Diagrams for the Visually Impaired

If a picture is worth a thousand words would you rather read the two pages of text or simply view the image? Most would choose to view the image; however, for the visually impaired this isn’t always an option. Diagrams assist people in visualizing relationships between objects. Most often these diagrams act as a source for quickly referencing information about relationships. Diagrams are highly visual and as such, there are few tools to support diagram creation for visually impaired individuals. To allow the visually impaired the ability to share the same advantages in school and work as sighted colleagues, an accessible diagram tool is needed. A suitable tool for the visually impaired to create diagrams should allow these individuals to: 1. easily define the type of relationship based diagram to be created, 2. easily create the components of a relationship based diagram, 3. easily modify the components of a relationship based diagram, 4. quickly understand the structure of a relationship based diagram, 5. create a visual representation which can be used by the sighted, and 6. easily accesses reference points for tracking diagram components. To do this a series of prototypes of a tool were developed that allow visually impaired users the ability to read, create, modify and share relationship based diagrams using sound and gestural touches. This was accomplished by creating a series of applications that could be run on an iPad using an overlay that restricts the areas in which a user can perform gestures. These prototypes were tested for usability using measures of efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction. The prototypes were tested with visually impaired, blindfolded and sighted participants. The results of the evaluation indicate that the prototypes contain the main building blocks that can be used to complete a fully functioning application to be used on an iPad

Tactile audio responsive intelligent system

For people with visual impairments, information encoded in a visual format creates certain barriers. To alleviate this, a large volume of research has been conducted in the field of assistive technology. In our work, we developed a special system that makes educational materials more accessible. The system consists of three components: the pre-labelled tactile graphics, an interactive labelling web tool and the phone application. Tactile graphics are used at schools for the blind and allow the students to understand non-textual information by touch. The digital version of the graphics first needs to be labelled by teachers using the developed web tool. Then, the phone app, which is based on the Android platform, will accompany those graphics with the audio descriptions. The fundamental purpose of the developed app is to allow the user to gain information without sighted assistance. We also conducted a study to evaluate the system. First, the structured interview was carried out to gather data about the participant’s experience with the tactile graphics and mobile devices. Next, quantitative measurements were obtained through a series of experiments. Subsequently, a post-experimental session was carried out to record the participants’ thoughts and opinions about the system. The results of the experiments demonstrated that the proposed mobile application allows the users to explore the graphics more efficiently

Conscientious Design: Design Proposals for Accomodating Multiple Sclerosis Patients

This evidence-based research explains and provides interior design strategies for redesign and future design to meet the needs of MS patients. The project entails an analysis of MS patient needs, an assessment of interior design implementations in similar medical fields (with patients who have similar symptoms to those with MS), and the creation of information materials containing recommended design practices for distribution. The materials will include details on lay-outs, upholstery, space planning, suggested equipment, color schemes, and recommended practices to be applied to current or future facilities that treat MS patients. These materials provide previously unexplored and much needed research and applications for use in the field of interior design

Taux : a system for evaluating sound feedback in navigational tasks

This thesis presents the design and development of an evaluation system for generating audio displays that provide feedback to persons performing navigation tasks. It first develops the need for such a system by describing existing wayfinding solutions, investigating new electronic location-based methods that have the potential of changing these solutions and examining research conducted on relevant audio information representation techniques. An evaluation system that supports the manipulation of two basic classes of audio display is then described. Based on prior work on wayfinding with audio display, research questions are developed that investigate the viability of different audio displays. These are used to generate hypotheses and develop an experiment which evaluates four variations of audio display for wayfinding. Questions are also formulated that evaluate a baseline condition that utilizes visual feedback. An experiment which tests these hypotheses on sighted users is then described. Results from the experiment suggest that spatial audio combined with spoken hints is the best approach of the approaches comparing spatial audio. The test experiment results also suggest that muting a varying audio signal when a subject is on course did not improve performance. The system and method are then refined. A second experiment is conducted with improved displays and an improved experiment methodology. After adding blindfolds for sighted subjects and increasing the difficulty of navigation tasks by reducing the arrival radius, similar comparisons were observed. Overall, the two experiments demonstrate the viability of the prototyping tool for testing and refining multiple different audio display combinations for navigational tasks. The detailed contributions of this work and future research opportunities conclude this thesis

Precise positioning in real-time using GPS-RTK signal for visually impaired people navigation system

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University, 24/9/2010.This thesis presents the research carried out to investigate and achieve highly reliable and accurate navigation system of guidance for visually impaired pedestrians. The main aim with this PhD project has been to identify the limits and insufficiencies in utilising Network Real-Time Kinematic Global Navigation Satellite Systems (NRTK GNSS) and its augmentation techniques within the frame of pedestrian applications in a variety of environments and circumstances. Moreover, the system can be used in many other applications, including unmanned vehicles, military applications, police, etc. NRTK GNSS positioning is considered to be a superior solution in comparison to the conventional standalone Global Positioning System (GPS) technique whose accuracy is highly affected by the distance dependent errors such as satellite orbital and atmospheric biases. Nevertheless, NRTK GNSS positioning is particularly constrained by wireless data link coverage, delays of correction and transmission and completeness, GPS and GLONASS signal availability, etc., which could downgrade the positioning quality of the NRTK results. This research is based on the dual frequency NRTK GNSS (GPS and GLONASS). Additionally, it is incorporated into several positioning and communication methods responsible for data correction while providing the position solutions, in which all identified contextual factors and application requirements are accounted. The positioning model operates through client-server based architecture consisted of a Navigation Service Centre (NSC) and a Mobile Navigation Unit (MNU). Hybrid functional approaches were consisting of several processing procedures allowing the positioning model to operate in position determination modes. NRTK GNSS and augmentation service is used if enough navigation information was available at the MNU using its local positioning device (GPS/GLONASS receiver).The positioning model at MNU was experimentally evaluated and centimetric accuracy was generally attained during both static and kinematic tests in various environments (urban, suburban and rural). This high accuracy was merely affected by some level of unavailability mainly caused by GPS and GLONASS signal blockage. Additionally, the influence of the number of satellites in view, dilution of precision (DOP) and age corrections (AoC) over the accuracy and stability of the NRTK GNSS solution was also investigated during this research and presented in the thesis. This positioning performance has outperformed the existing GPS service. In addition, utilising a simulation evaluation facility the positioning model at MNU performance was quantified with reference to a hybrid positioning service that will be offered by future Galileo Open Service (OS) along with GPS. However, a significant difference in terms of the service availability for the advantage of the hybrid system was experienced in all remaining scenarios and environments more especially the urban areas due to surrounding obstacles and conditions. As an outcome of this research a new and precise positioning model was proposed. The adaptive framework is understood as approaching an integration of the available positioning technology into the context of surrounding wireless communication for a maintainable performance. The positioning model has the capability of delivering indeed accurate, precise and consistent position solutions, and thus is fulfilling the requirements of visually impaired people navigation application, as identified in the adaptive framework