DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF AN AUDIO GAME-INSPIRED AUDITORY MAP INTERFACE

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Assistive Technology
• Spatial Cognition

Background:

• Auditory displays are crucial for accessibility, particularly for visually impaired individuals.
• Existing auditory map research often limits user customization, hindering real-world applicability.
• Audio games offer innovative interaction paradigms that can be adapted for navigation tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel web-based auditory map prototype.
• To assess user experience with the prototype, focusing on learnability, navigation, and user preferences.
• To identify areas for improvement in auditory map design for spatial tasks.

Main Methods:

• A web-based auditory map prototype was developed using audio game conventions.
• Participants performed navigation tasks using their own computers and screen readers.
• The NASA Task Load Index was used to measure perceived workload.

Main Results:

• The prototype demonstrated high learnability and ease of navigation.
• Participants exhibited diverse navigational styles and a strong preference for their personal screen readers.
• Users identified a need for enhanced features to better understand spatial properties and relationships.

Conclusions:

• The developed auditory map prototype shows promise for accessible navigation.
• User-centered design, allowing for personal device and screen reader use, is critical.
• Future iterations should focus on improving spatial comprehension features to increase user confidence in real-world navigation.