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"KnowWare: virtual reality maps for blind people".

M W Krueger1, D Gilden

  • 1Artificial Reality Corporation, Vernon, CT 06066, USA. myronkru@aol.com

Studies in Health Technology and Informatics
|October 28, 1999
PubMed
Summary
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The KnowWare system provides blind individuals with access to spatial information using touch gestures and audio feedback. This innovative approach offers comparable usability to traditional tactile maps for visually impaired computer users.

Area of Science:

  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Assistive Technology
  • Accessibility Research

Background:

  • Traditional computer access methods for the blind are challenged by modern graphical user interfaces (GUIs).
  • Spatial information, increasingly vital for sighted users, remains largely inaccessible to blind individuals.
  • Existing assistive technologies often fail to adequately address the need for spatial data access.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce the KnowWare system, an innovative solution for blind users to access spatial information.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of KnowWare's gesture-based input and audio-output interface.
  • To provide blind individuals with a novel method for interacting with virtual maps and spatial data.

Main Methods:

  • Development of the KnowWare system, integrating gesture input (finger touching) with audio output (speech/sound codes).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Utilizing an overhead video camera and specialized processors to detect fingertip location on a virtual map displayed on the desktop.
  • Implementing electronic map functionalities such as zooming, panning, and overlays for enhanced spatial exploration.
  • Conducting user testing with twenty blind subjects to assess system usability and performance.

    • Main Results:

    • KnowWare successfully enables blind users to interact with spatial information through touch and sound.
    • The system demonstrated comparable usability to traditional raised-line maps among tested blind subjects.
    • Users could effectively identify features and navigate virtual maps using the gesture and audio feedback mechanism.

    Conclusions:

    • The KnowWare system represents a significant advancement in assistive technology for the visually impaired.
    • It offers a viable and effective alternative for accessing spatial information in computer environments.
    • Further development could enhance accessibility to complex spatial data for blind computer users.