An environment for studying the impact of spatialising sonified graphs on data comprehension

We describe AudioCave, an environment for exploring the impact of spatialising sonified graphs on a set of numerical data comprehension tasks. Its design builds on findings regarding the effectiveness of sonified graphs for numerical data overview and discovery by visually impaired and blind students. We demonstrate its use as a test bed for comparing the approach of accessing a single sonified numerical datum at a time to one where multiple sonified numerical data can be accessed concurrently. Results from this experiment show that concurrent access facilitates the tackling of our set multivariate data comprehension tasks. AudioCave also demonstrates how the spatialisation of the sonified graphs provides opportunities for sharing the representation. We present two experiments investigating users solving set data comprehension tasks collaboratively by sharing the data representation

A generic approach for augmenting tactile diagrams with spatial non-speech sounds

Blind or visually impaired users typically access diagrams in the tactile medium. This paper describes TouchMelody, a system designed for augmenting such existing diagrams with 3D spatial auditory information to increase their usefulness, information content and reduce tactile clutter. The motivation for this system, an overview of its development and early experiences are presented. The two major technologies used are the Polhemus FASTRAK and the LakeDSP CP4 to facilitate the creation of a directly manipulated dynamic 3D spatial soundscape

Using non-speech sounds to provide navigation cues

This article describes 3 experiments that investigate the possibiity of using structured nonspeech audio messages called earcons to provide navigational cues in a menu hierarchy. A hierarchy of 27 nodes and 4 levels was created with an earcon for each node. Rules were defined for the creation of hierarchical earcons at each node. Participants had to identify their location in the hierarchy by listening to an earcon. Results of the first experiment showed that participants could identify their location with 81.5% accuracy, indicating that earcons were a powerful method of communicating hierarchy information. One proposed use for such navigation cues is in telephone-based interfaces (TBIs) where navigation is a problem. The first experiment did not address the particular problems of earcons in TBIs such as “does the lower quality of sound over the telephone lower recall rates,” “can users remember earcons over a period of time.” and “what effect does training type have on recall?” An experiment was conducted and results showed that sound quality did lower the recall of earcons. However; redesign of the earcons overcame this problem with 73% recalled correctly. Participants could still recall earcons at this level after a week had passed. Training type also affected recall. With personal training participants recalled 73% of the earcons, but with purely textual training results were significantly lower. These results show that earcons can provide good navigation cues for TBIs. The final experiment used compound, rather than hierarchical earcons to represent the hierarchy from the first experiment. Results showed that with sounds constructed in this way participants could recall 97% of the earcons. These experiments have developed our general understanding of earcons. A hierarchy three times larger than any previously created was tested, and this was also the first test of the recall of earcons over time

Exploring computer-generated line graphs through virtual touch

This paper describes the development and evaluation of a haptic interface designed to provide access to line graphs for blind or visually impaired people. Computer-generated line graphs can be felt by users through the sense of touch produced by a PHANToM force feedback device. Experiments have been conducted to test the effectiveness of this interface with both sighted and blind people. The results show that sighted and blind people have achieved about 89.95% and 86.83% correct answers respectively in the experiment

Facilitating Humanitarian Access to Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Innovation

Calls for intellectual property licensing strategies in the pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors that promote humanitarian access to product innovations for the benefit of the disadvantaged. Includes profiles of successful and promising strategies

Levitating Particle Displays with Interactive Voxels

Levitating objects can be used as the primitives in a new type of display. We present levitating particle displays and show how research into object levitation is enabling a new way of presenting and interacting with information. We identify novel properties of levitating particle displays and give examples of the interaction techniques and applications they allow. We then discuss design challenges for these displays, potential solutions, and promising areas for future research

Design guidelines for audio presentation of graphs and tables

Audio can be used to make visualisations accessible to blind and visually impaired people. The MultiVis Project has carried out research into suitable methods for presenting graphs and tables to blind people through the use of both speech and non-speech audio. This paper presents guidelines extracted from this research. These guidelines will enable designers to implement visualisation systems for blind and visually impaired users, and will provide a framework for researchers wishing to investigate the audio presentation of more complex visualisations

Bert Brewster, interviewed by Stephen D. Rees, Jr., Part 1

Rev. Mr. Elbert R. “Bert” Brewster, interviewed by Stephen Rees in Waterville, Maine, July 7, 1999. Brewster discusses his youth and being born a month following his father\u27s death; his brother who was 16-years older, going into World War II; admiring his brother\u27s service but still attempting to waylay being drafted himself; gimmicks used by young men to escape the draft including gaining weight and reporting while badly hung over in order to appear unhealthy; going into the service with a group of men from around New England; reporting to Fort Dix; becoming ill with pneumonia during basic training; handling fear during training; the importance of his religion and going through 12-weeks of medical training to become a corpsman and avoid having to kill; green underwear being an early indicator you were being sent over; being bullied by other recruits; running out of food and water on the troop ship General Blaxford on the way to Vietnam; landing in Saigon; setting up an aid tent in Vietcong territory; the lack of water for bathing and laundry; repeatedly losing his rifle in camp; becoming less religious but continuing to refuse to shoot people; his routine duties; PX supplies and working in the PX; the Black market; the impact of his friend Jesse Miller\u27s death; mail and receiving a Dear John letter; and life after returning home. Text: 34 pp. transcript. Total time: 01:07:08. Listen Part 1: mfc_na4490_01A Part 2: mfc_na4490_01Bhttps://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/ne_vietnam_vets/1018/thumbnail.jp

Bert Brewster, interviewed by Stephen D. Rees, Jr., Part 2

Rev. Mr. Elbert R. “Bert” Brewster, interviewed by Stephen Rees in Waterville, Maine, July 7, 1999. Brewster discusses his youth and being born a month following his father\u27s death; his brother who was 16-years older, going into World War II; admiring his brother\u27s service but still attempting to waylay being drafted himself; gimmicks used by young men to escape the draft including gaining weight and reporting while badly hung over in order to appear unhealthy; going into the service with a group of men from around New England; reporting to Fort Dix; becoming ill with pneumonia during basic training; handling fear during training; the importance of his religion and going through 12-weeks of medical training to become a corpsman and avoid having to kill; green underwear being an early indicator you were being sent over; being bullied by other recruits; running out of food and water on the troop ship General Blaxford on the way to Vietnam; landing in Saigon; setting up an aid tent in Vietcong territory; the lack of water for bathing and laundry; repeatedly losing his rifle in camp; becoming less religious but continuing to refuse to shoot people; his routine duties; PX supplies and working in the PX; the Black market; the impact of his friend Jesse Miller\u27s death; mail and receiving a Dear John letter; and life after returning home. Text: 34 pp. transcript. Total time: 01:07:08. Listen Part 1: mfc_na4490_01A Part 2: mfc_na4490_01Bhttps://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/ne_vietnam_vets/1019/thumbnail.jp