Ecological Solutions For The Blind

A number of inappropriate navigation devices have been foisted onto the visually impaired population over the past twenty years. These portable electronic devices are usually mounted on a long cane adaptation, or hand-held by the visually impaired user. Their function is primarily to help prevent a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Calder, David
Other Authors: Leila Ismail
Format: Conference Paper
Published: IEEE 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/21249
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author Calder, David
author2 Leila Ismail
author_facet Leila Ismail
Calder, David
author_sort Calder, David
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description A number of inappropriate navigation devices have been foisted onto the visually impaired population over the past twenty years. These portable electronic devices are usually mounted on a long cane adaptation, or hand-held by the visually impaired user. Their function is primarily to help prevent a collision with an obstacle in the immediate path. Some of these navigation devices use laser technology to gauge subject-to-object distance. Others use infrared transceivers or ultrasonic pulse-echo techniques to locate and warn of obstacles. Some extend their role beyond giving warning signals, to crudely assisting the user map the immediate path ahead. These devices exhibit a number of problems, the most significant of which are related to the interface display that conveys navigation/obstacle warning information to the blind user. As sound is often used in these displays, the vital auditory channel is typically compromised. The author has produced a solution, which is at an early stage of development. Several successful prototypes using tactile displays, have been produced.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-212492023-01-13T07:56:30Z Ecological Solutions For The Blind Calder, David Leila Ismail Elizabeth Chang Achim P Karduck infrared proximeter disabled user Assistive technology portable electronic device ambient sound cues sound displays ultrasonic pulse-echo sensory channels long cane tactile displays laser rangefinder visually impaired A number of inappropriate navigation devices have been foisted onto the visually impaired population over the past twenty years. These portable electronic devices are usually mounted on a long cane adaptation, or hand-held by the visually impaired user. Their function is primarily to help prevent a collision with an obstacle in the immediate path. Some of these navigation devices use laser technology to gauge subject-to-object distance. Others use infrared transceivers or ultrasonic pulse-echo techniques to locate and warn of obstacles. Some extend their role beyond giving warning signals, to crudely assisting the user map the immediate path ahead. These devices exhibit a number of problems, the most significant of which are related to the interface display that conveys navigation/obstacle warning information to the blind user. As sound is often used in these displays, the vital auditory channel is typically compromised. The author has produced a solution, which is at an early stage of development. Several successful prototypes using tactile displays, have been produced. 2010 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/21249 10.1109/DEST.2010.5610585 IEEE fulltext
spellingShingle infrared proximeter
disabled user
Assistive technology
portable electronic device
ambient sound cues
sound displays
ultrasonic pulse-echo
sensory channels
long cane
tactile displays
laser rangefinder
visually impaired
Calder, David
Ecological Solutions For The Blind
title Ecological Solutions For The Blind
title_full Ecological Solutions For The Blind
title_fullStr Ecological Solutions For The Blind
title_full_unstemmed Ecological Solutions For The Blind
title_short Ecological Solutions For The Blind
title_sort ecological solutions for the blind
topic infrared proximeter
disabled user
Assistive technology
portable electronic device
ambient sound cues
sound displays
ultrasonic pulse-echo
sensory channels
long cane
tactile displays
laser rangefinder
visually impaired
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/21249