Haptic-audio simulator for visually impaired indoor exploration

Abstract

Purpose

VirtuNav is a haptic-, audio-enabled virtual reality simulator that facilitates persons with visual impairment to explore a 3D computer model of a real-life indoor location, such as a room or building. The purpose of this paper is to aid in pre-planning and spatial awareness, for a user to become more familiar with the environment prior to experiencing it in reality.

Design/methodology/approach

The system offers two unique interfaces: a free-roam interface where the user can navigate, and an edit mode where the administrator can manage test users, maps and retrieve test data.

Findings

System testing reveals that spatial awareness and memory mapping improve with user iterations within VirtuNav.

Research limitations/implications

VirtuNav is a research tool for investigation of user familiarity developed after repeated exposure to the simulator, to determine the extent to which haptic and/or sound cues improve a visually impaired user’s ability to navigate a room or building with or without occlusion.

Social implications

The application may prove useful for greater real world engagement: to build confidence in real world experiences, enabling persons with sight impairment to more comfortably and readily explore and interact with environments formerly unfamiliar or unattainable to them.

Originality/value

VirtuNav is developed as a practical application offering several unique features including map design, semi-automatic 3D map reconstruction and object classification from 2D map data. Visual and haptic rendering of real-time 3D map navigation are provided as well as automated administrative functions for shortest path determination, actual path comparison, and performance indicator assessment: exploration time taken and collision data.

Citation

Todd, C., Mallya, S., Majeed, S., Rojas, J. and Naylor, K. (2015), "Haptic-audio simulator for visually impaired indoor exploration", Journal of Assistive Technologies, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 71-85. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAT-06-2014-0016