Emerald | Journal of Assistive Technologies | Table of Contents

A Portable Application Supporting ABA Intervention

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a scientific method for modelling human behavior, successfully applied in the context of autism. Recording and sharing measurable data (on the subjects' performance) between caregivers guarantees consistency of learning programs and allows monitoring the learning enhancement of the subject. Data are usually recorded on paper and partially copied in an electronic format later, which requires considerable effort and is subject to error. In this paper we describe a portable application developed to support ABA tutors in their work with subjects with autism. It facilitates gathering data from ABA sessions, giving tutors rapid access to information, also in graphical formats. Design/methodology/approach - The tool was designed according to the participatory design technique, involving all the stakeholders (in this case the members of an ABA team) from the early stage of the design. This approach aims to increase usability while minimizing errors. Findings - The use of mobile devices (i.e., tablets or smartphones) allows mobility and ease of interaction, enabling efficient data collection and processing. Data plotting allows one to easily interpret gathered data. Originality/value - Available software to assist tutors during therapy sessions is often proprietary, and research prototypes are not freely available, so paper forms are still widespread. However, without attention to usability requirements, assisting tools would be comparable in efficiency with paper data insertion. Our software was specifically designed following ABA principles and favors efficient data entry allowing natural interaction with touch screen interfaces: drag and drop, taps and gestures. Furthermore, it is shared in the public domain.

RHYME: Musicking for All

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Harald Holone, Jo Herstad) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this research is to bring together the fields of participatory design, design for all, accessible music, tangible interaction and musicking to propose musicking for all, where participants can take part on their own terms, with their own intentions, initiatives and interpretations. The goal is to promote well-being and health among the participants.Design/methodology/approach - Co-creative tangibles to enable musicking for all has been created and evaluated in a research project. The paper uses the experiences so far in this project to propose "musicking for all", based on the fields mentioned in the Purpose above.Findings - 1) Participatory design, design for all and tangible interaction forms a promising basis for musicking for all 2) Challenges/paradoxes emerge when applying participatory design approaches to design work involving disabled children. Originality/value - The paper contributes with an orignal view on musicking for disabled children, and proposes musicking for all based on the fields of reseearch mentioned in the Purpose above. The value in the contribution is a fresh view on co-creative tangibles for disabled children, and a suggested way forward to improve health and well-being for this user group.

Designing and Testing Wearable Range-Vibrotactile Devices

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This paper demonstrates how commercially-off-the-shelf sensors and stimulators, such as infrared rangers and vibrators, can be retrofitted as a useful assistive technology in real and virtual environments.Design/methodology/approach - The paper describes how a wearable range-vibrotactile device is designed and tested in the real-world setting as well as thorough evaluations in a virtual environment for complicated navigation tasks and neuroscience studies.Findings - In the real-world setting, a person with normal vision who has to navigate their way around a room with their eyes closed will quickly rely on their arms and hands to explore the room. Our device allows a person to "feel" their environment without touching it. Due to inherent difficulties in testing human subjects when navigating a real environment, a virtual environment affords us an opportunity to scientifically and extensively test the prototype before deploying the device in the real-world.Research limitations/implications - This project serves as a starting-point for further research in benchmarking assistive technology for the visually impaired and to eventually develop a man-machine sensorimotor model that will improve current state-of-the-art technology, as well as a better understanding of neural coding in the human brain.Originality/value - Low cost design of assistive technology that has been tested and evaluated in real and virtual environments, as well as integration of sensor designs and neuroscience.

Visual Noun Navigation Framework for the Blind

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - We propose a local orientation and navigation framework based on visual features that provide location recognition, context augmentation, and viewer localization information to a blind or low-vision user.Design/methodology/approach - We consider 3 types of "visual noun" features: signage, visual-text, and visual-icons that we propose as a low-cost method for augmenting environments. We use these in combination with an RGB-D sensor and a simplified SLAM algorithm to develop a framework for navigation assistance suitable for the blind and low-vision.Findings - We have found that signage detection cannot only help a blind user to find a location, but they can also be used to give accurate orientation and location information to guide the user navigating a complex environment. The combination of visual nouns for orientation and RGB-D sensing for traversable path finding can be one of the cost-effective solutions for navigation assistance for the blind and low-vision.Research limitations/implications - This is the first step for a new approach in self-localization and local navigation of a blind user using both signs and 3D data. The approach is meant to be cost-effective but it only works in man-made scenes where a lot of signs exist or can be placed and are relatively permanent in their appearances and locations.Originality/value - Signage detection has been widely studied for assisting visually impaired people in finding locations. But this paper provides the first attempt to use visual nouns as visual features to accurately locate and orient a blind user. The combination of visual nouns with 3D data from an RGB-D sensor is also new.

Crosswatch: a System for Providing Guidance to Visually Impaired Travelers at Traffic Intersections

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (James Coughlan, Huiying Shen) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This paper describes recent progress on the "Crosswatch" project, a smartphone-based system developed for providing guidance to blind and visually impaired travelers at traffic intersections. Building on past work on Crosswatch functionality to help the user achieve proper alignment with the crosswalk and read the status of walk lights to know when it is time to cross, we outline the directions Crosswatch is now taking to help realize its potential for becoming a practical system: namely, augmenting computer vision with other information sources, including geographic information systems (GIS) and sensor data, and inferring the user’s location much more precisely than is possible through GPS alone, to provide a much larger range of information about traffic intersections to the pedestrian.Design/methodology/approach - The paper summarizes past progress on Crosswatch and describes details about the development of new Crosswatch functionalities. One such functionality, which is required for determination of the user’s precise location, is studied in detail, including the design of a suitable user interface to support this functionality and preliminary tests of this interface with visually impaired volunteer subjects.Findings - The results of the tests of the new Crosswatch functionality demonstrate that the functionality is feasible in that it is usable by visually impaired persons. Research limitations/implications - While the tests that were conducted of the new Crosswatch functionality are preliminary, the results of the tests have suggested several possible improvements, to be explored in the future.Practical implications - The results described in this paper suggest that the necessary technologies used by the Crosswatch system are rapidly maturing, implying that the system has an excellent chance of becoming practical in the near future.Originality/value - The paper addresses an innovative solution to a key problem faced by blind and visually impaired travelers, which has the potential to greatly improve independent travel for these individuals.