Research
Researchers listed alphabetically by surname
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Researchers listed by country index
Researchers listed by subject index
B
Prof. Ian L. Bailey
Center for the Study of Visual Impairment, 415 Minor Hall,
University of California,
Berkeley, California, 94720-2020, United States of America.
Tel: +1 510 642 1987
Fax: +1 510 643 5109
Email: ibailey@berkeley.edu
Web: http://vision.berkeley.edu/
Publications
Current & recent projects
Relationships between functional visual abilities and clinical measures of visual function
Face recognition and reading are the functional tasks being investigated. Clinical measures of visual functions include letter chart acuity, grating acuity, visual field, and contrast sensitivity. Considerable attention is being given to studying how the design and scoring methods of clinical tests affect the measurement results.
Ongoing
Visual ergonomics research
This research currently covers visual efficiency and visual adaptation associated with viewing of video display terminals. The laboratory is investigating pupillary responses and electroretinogram (ERG) responses to scarcely detectable flicker experienced under florescent lighting and for VDT viewing. The visual efficiency research involves comparisons of performances at VDT-and hard copy displays using both positive and negative modes of contrast while the subject's vision is blurred using astigmatic lenses. Visual adaptation studies include investigation of changes in color vision, temporal contrast sensitivity and spatial contrast sensitivity as a result of viewing video displays.
Ongoing
Last updated: 19/11/2007
Prof. Wamadeva Balachandran
Electronic Systems Research Group, School of Engineering and Design, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 1895 265774
Fax: +44 1895 258728
Email: wamadeva.balachandran@brunel.ac.uk
Web: www.brunel.ac.uk/
Publications
Current & recent projects
A Remote Vision Guidance System for Visually Impaired Pedestrians
Co-worker(s): Ziad Hunaiti
Development of a guidance system with the aim of increasing the mobility of visually impaired pedestrians via remote guidance by a sighted person.
Ongoing
Last updated: 19/11/2007
Dr. Kenneth E. Barner
University of Delaware, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Newark, Delaware 19716, United States of America.
Tel: +1 302 831 6937
Fax: +1 302 831 4316
Email: barner@udel.edu
Web: www.ee.udel.edu/~barner/
Publications
Current & recent projects
Multi–touch 2–D tactile human computer interface design and optimization
for individuals with physical disabilities
Co-worker(s):G. Elias
Development of techniques or technologies that provide access to computer-based
graphical information, particularly from the areas of science, engineering
and mathematics, for blind persons. The focus is the haptic display of
scientific and mathematical data using a three degree-of-freedom haptic
interface. This device allows the user to feel virtual objects with a
fingertip. The current prototype system is capable of representing 2D
and 3D data plots. Ongoing research is investigating different methods
for rendering 2D plots that are intuitive and allow easy comprehension
of the data. In the case of 3D data, plots are represented as polygon
mesh surfaces. To aid in the understanding of the data, additional features
are needed to give scale information and to aid in navigation. Examples
currently being implemented include speech output of coordinates and grid
planes (analogous to grid lines on a 2D visual graph). Additional data-dependent
rendering methods are also being investigated.
Project start date: 2003
Project end date: 2006
Automatic Generation of Optimal Tactile Images
Development of techniques or technologies that provide access to computer-based
graphical information, particularly from the areas of science, engineering
and mathematics, for blind persons. The focus is the automatic computerized
conversion of visual images into tactile form, such that the results are
useful and meaningful to a blind person. Through the application of image
processing techniques to electronic images, it is possible, to a great
extent, to extract the most important information content while reducing
extraneous matter. This processing results in a tactually perceivable
image. By performing this translation automatically, the need for a sighted
assistant in the process is eliminated. And, by utilizing the power of
today's computers, the tactile images are simplified raised-line versions
of the original image, suitable for output on available media and appropriate
for tactual exploration.
Project start date: 2002
Project end date: 2005
Last updated: 19/11/2007
Prof. Michael Batty
Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7HB, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 207 6791781
Fax: +44 207 8132843
Email: m.batty@ucl.ac.uk
Web: www.casa.ucl.ac.uk/people/person.asp?ID=2
Current & recent projects
Navigation, Way Finding and Tracking
Co-worker(s): David Banister, Yi Gong,
Kay Kitazawa,
Chao Li,
Paul Longley, Roger Mackett
Research exploring how infrastructure and travelling aids might be improved for visually impaired individuals. This project concentrates on the perception and cognition of space by the congenitally blind. The focus of the project is to advance the view that the congenitally blind are able to develop cognitive maps and configurational knowledge, but that these representations are constructed and structured based on tactile, proprioceptive and auditory senses.
Project start date: 01/10/2002
Project end date: 31/12/2007
Last updated: 19/11/2007
Dr. Yacine Bellik
B.P. 133,
91403 Orsay Cedex, France.
Tel: +33 1 69 85 80 80
Fax: +33 1 69 85 80 88
Email: Yacine.Bellik@limsi.fr
Web: www.limsi.fr/Individu/bellik/index.html
Publications
Current & recent projects
TéléTact II - Laser telemetry long cane
Co-worker(s): S. Buisine, D. Béroule, O. Grynszpan, J-C. Martin, F. Vernier
Collaboration between LIMSI and the Aimé Cotton laboratory to develop second generation TéléTact products. In this second generation (TéléTact II), efforts focused on the miniaturisation of the apparatus and improvement of the sensors, and on the improvement of the interface. The principle of the tactile interface consists of associating each interval of distances (0-1 meter, 1-2 meters etc.) to a vibrator, each vibrator being in contact with a hand finger. The preliminary tests were positive. They showed that the tactile interface is simpler to use and that it is adapted for the beginners. In addition, it seems that the tactile interface is adapted in a dynamic situation of moving whereas the sound interface appears more effective in situations of recognition. TéléTact II was the subject of a patent and was presented at the days of the science festival at the Villette.
Ongoing
Access to mathematical formulas for blind people
Co-worker(s): A. Podevinin, P. Lorenzon
The goal of this project was to study and define adapted interaction techniques for effective access to mathematics by blind users. The aim was to study reading as well as the writing of mathematical expressions. A study was conducted on various representation structures of mathematical expressions (linear, arborescent, spacial structures...) as well as a comparative study of various interaction modalities for mathematics access (speech synthesis/recognition, braille, tactile images, combination of several modalities...). The studies resulted in the production of new presentation forms for mathematical formulas and the testing of these forms through an interactive application exploiting the Concept Keyboard.
Ongoing
Last updated: 20/11/2007
Dr. Billie Bentzen
Accessible Design for the Blind,
PO Box 1212,
Berlin, MA 01503, United States of America.
Tel/Fax: +1 978 838 2307
Email: bbentzen@accessforblind.org
Web: www.accessforblind.org/index.html
Publications
Current & recent projects
Wayfinding Technologies for People with Visual Impairments: Research and Development of an Integrated Platform
Co-worker(s): Janet M. Barlow
Development of a computer or palm pilot based GIS/GPS system for use by blind pedestrians for wayfinding and orientation. The project was funded by National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.
Project end date: 2007
Blind Pedestrians Access to Complex Intersections
This study included a major task to examine a number of issues related to Accessible Pedestrian Signals. The overall research objectives of this task were to determine the optimal characteristics of push-button locator and WALK signal tones, compare different APS technologies, and to carry out a demonstration project using an optimal APS technology. In addition, the project included human factors testing of street crossing at unsignalized intersections and signalized intersections without and with APS by users who are totally blind and who have low vision, including users who have other disabilities in addition to visual impairments.
Project end date: 2005
Last updated: 31/10/2007
Ian Beverley
RNCB - Royal National College for the Blind, Multi Sensory Communications Dept.,
College Road, Hereford HR1 1EB, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 1432 265725
Fax: +44 1432 376628
Email: info@rncb.ac.uk
Web: www.rncb.ac.uk/
Current & recent projects
AHVIIT - Audio Haptics for Visually Impaired Information Technology
Participant organisations: BFW, Duren, Germany; E-ISOTIS, Athens, Greece; VISIO, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
The aim of the project is to develop pilot materials and online training programmes which will improve the inclusion of workers or trainees who are blind or partially sighted. It will do so by using multi-sensory learning so that visual graphical information is presented in a non-visual format using touch and sound.
Project start date: 01/10/2006
Project end date: 01/09/2008
Last updated: 19/03/2008
Prof. Gary Bishop
Department of Computer Science,
255 Sitterson Hall,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3175, United States
of America.
Tel: +1 919 962 1886
Fax: +1 919 962 1799
Email: gb@cs.unc.edu
Web: http://wwwx.cs.unc.edu/~gb/wp/about/
Current & recent projects
Hark The Sound
A simple sound game intended for children who are visually impaired. It is free for educational and fun use. Hark the Sound includes three types of games: Naming Games - the object of naming games is to name a sound or tune that is presented as a prompt; Category Games - category games ask questions like “Which of these things is not a fruit” or “Which of these things belongs in electronics?"; and Pad Games - all of the games above may be played with the DDR pad. Several games are also included that only work with the pad; e.g. Braille Twister.
For more information, visit: wwwx.cs.unc.edu/~gb/wp/research/hark-the-sound/
Ongoing
SonicZoom
A racing game that you can play visually, or listen for changes in pitch and spatial position. Using spatial sound, kids are able to play the game to its full extent without the need for any visuals. For more information, visit: www.cs.unc.edu/Courses/comp145-s04/BlindGames/
Ongoing
The Last Crusade
A sound-based role-playing game. It comes with a map maker so that you can make your games.
For more information, visit: www.cs.unc.edu/Research/assist/et/projects/RPG/
Ongoing
Blue Bird
An audio-based track sequencer. It allows one to combine pre-recorded clips of music in various ways to make ones own mixes. For more information, visit: www.cs.unc.edu/Research/assist/et/projects/bluebird/
Ongoing
Blind Audio Tactile Mapping System (BATS)
A program that displays maps with 3D sound, text-to-speech, sound icons, and tactile display.
For more information, visit:www.cs.unc.edu/Research/assist/bats/
Ongoing
Last updated: 20/11/2007
Angel Blanco, Co-ordinator
Siemens S. A., Spain.
Tel: +34 915 14 45 84
Fax: +34 915 14 47 87
Email: angel.blanco@siemens.co
Web: www.ask-it.org
Current & recent projects
ASK-IT (Ambient Intelligence System of Agents for Knowledge-based
and Integrated Services for Mobility Impaired Users)
Co-worker(s): 56 European and 1 American partners
ASK-IT is an integrated project, partly funded by the European Commission under the 6th Framework Programme, e-Inclusion. The aim of the ASK-IT project is to develop services based on Information Communication Technologies (ICT) that will allow Mobility Impaired people to live more independently. Through a device (mobile phone, PDA) users will have access to relevant and real-time information primarily for travelling but also whilst home, for work and leisure services. The emphasis is on a seamless service provision and a device that is intelligent enough to address the personal needs and preferences of the user.
The project is currently entering the demonstration phase during which the ASK-IT system is tested and evaluated in 8 cities across Europe.
Ongoing
Last updated: 20/11/2007
Prof. Paul Blenkhorn
School of Informatics,
The University of Manchester,
PO Box 88,
Manchester, M60 1QD, United
Kingdom.
Tel: +44 161 306 3371
Fax: +44 161 306 3373
Email: Paul.Blenkhorn@manchester.ac.uk
Web: www.informatics.manchester.ac.uk/
Publications
Current & recent projects
DUMAS: Dynamic Universal Mobility for Adaptive Speech interface
Co-worker(s): William Black (PI), Gareth Evans,
Allan Ramsay,
Alistair Sutcliffe
Speech recognition and generation technologies are quite precise within restricted application domains, but the development of more advanced and generalized speech-driven technology is severely constrained by the knowledge bottleneck and the traditional paradigm that human users operatecomputerized devices rather than interacting with them. The aim of the project is to develop Athos, a robust, adaptable, multilingual, modular framework for developing applications for spoken language interaction, as well as AthosMail, a customizable e-mail client based on that framework.
Ongoing
Network for the blind in Latin America (RedSocial)
The aim of the project is to improve the quality of life and economic levels of participation of blind and partially sighted people and other groups of people with disabilities in South America, using new information and communication technologies. This will include an interactive web-based platform, a network of resource centres, guides to good practice, and the development of low-cost devices specifically adapted for, and with, the local population.
Project start date:
01/2003
Project end date: 01/2005
TeDUB (Technical Drawings Understanding for the Blind)
Co-worker(s): Gareth Evans, Jurgen Bornschein, George Ioannidis, Helen Petrie, Blaithin
Gallagher
The TeDUB project is about transforming visual information in technical
drawings into an understandable form for blind people. Digitised technical
drawings are available for use at work, for education, and at home. They
are presented and edited on standard PCs with appropriate software
installed.
There are 4 key objectives to be achieved by this project: 1) to create an
environment for blind computer users that is capable of handling technical
drawings that were previously digitised; 2) to create an image processing
module which will analyse arbitrary images for contents that match technical
drawings; 3)to create appropriate interface(s) for blind computer users
to handle the extracted data; and 4) platform independence of the proposed system.
Project start date: 01/10/2001
Project end date: 30/09/2005
Last updated: 20/11/2007
Prof. Phil Blythe
School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, School Office: Cassie Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE1 7RU, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 191 222 7935
Fax: +44 191 222 6502
Email: p.t.blythe@ncl.ac.uk
Web: www.ceg.ncl.ac.uk/profiles2/p.t.blythe
Publications
Current & recent projects
EMMA: Embedded Middleware Multi-Applications for ITS
EMMA has the goal to investigate new opportunities for the development of generic, open embedded middleware for cooperating wireless objects. Through proof of concept trials in Newcastle and 4 other European locations the project will deliver a middleware platform and a development environment which facilitates the design and implementation of embedded software for cooperative sensing objects. Project start date: 05/2006
Project end date: 12/2008
ASK-IT project (Ambient Intelligence System of Agents for Knowledge-Based and Integrated Services for Mobility Impaired Users)
ASK-IT uses ambient intelligence technology to provide functions and services for older and disabled people in various environments, including home, work, leisure and transport. The main features include: Mediation of content and services; seamless environment management (anywhere, anytime); User preference and context-related processes; flexible geo-referenced services; a user confidence based environment. Currently developing and 'intelligent corridor' in Tyne and Wear to demonstrate a range of mobility and info-services for special needs users in partnership with a number of local industrial organisations, user groups and service providers.
Project start date: 11/2004
Project end date: 10/2008
Last updated: 20/11/2007
David Bolter
Adaptive Technology Resource Centre,
J.P. Robarts Library, First Floor,
University of Toronto,
130 St. George Street,
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A5, Canada.
Tel: +1 416 946 5741
Fax: +1 416 971 2896
Email: david.bolter@utoronto.ca
Web: http://atrc.utoronto.ca/
Current & recent projects
Dojo Accessibility
Co-worker(s): Simon Bates (PI)
Project to make Web 2.0 and the next-generation of web applications accessible. The team are working with IBM, SitePen, W3C, the Dojo Foundation, and the open source community to build accessibility into the Dojo tookit, one of the leading libraries used to build rich, dynamic Web 2.0 applications. This work will enable developers building the next-generation of innovative web applications to build sites that are useable by everyone.
Ongoing
SCYP (Smart Campus in Your Pocket)
Smart Campus in Your Pocket (SCYP) is an open-ended research platform focused on accessible, intelligent, context- and location-aware mobile technologies for students. SCYP is intended to encourage students and faculty from various fields of study to explore the problem space, evaluate existing products and solutions, and contribute research to the area.
Ongoing
GOK (GNOME On-Screen Keyboard)
Project to enable users to control their computer without having to rely on a standard keyboard or mouse. Many individuals have limited voluntary movements and must control the computer using alternative input methods. These input methods may be controlled by actions such as blowing and sipping to activate a pneumatic switch, an eye blink and/or directed gaze with an eye tracking system, head movement, muscle contractions or limb movements. Using innovative dynamic keyboard strategies, and leveraging Gnome 2's built-in accessibility framework, the GOK will make control more efficient for these users, and enable use of the Gnome 2 desktop for some users who otherwise would have no access to Gnome. With the right hardware support and the GOK these individuals will have full access to applications that support the AT SPI, and therefore, full access to the functionality these applications provide.
Ongoing
Last updated: 20/11/2007
Jürgen Bornschein
F.H.Papenmeier GmbH & Co. KG,
Talweg 2,
58239 Schwerte, Germany.
Tel: +49 2304 205 0
Fax: +49 2304 205 205
Email: bo@papenmeier.de
Web: www.papenmeier.de/
Current & recent projects
Pro-Guide
The aims of Pro-Guide are to clarify the prerequisites, possibilities, tendencies and directions for visually impaired sound engineers, musicians and producers in their education, profession, further education and development. The aim is also to bring together all influencing forces in a network that would lead to a more effective introduction and development for visually impaired within those professions. The tools developed by Papenmeier Reha Division will promote the transformation and adaptation of the education of visually impaired to a more flexible and personalised system.
Project start date: 10/2006
project end date: 09/2008
Project "ENABLED"
The Internet has a great impact on people's life. Through the Web, information can be accessed remotely; people can interact with friends and family; services such as online shopping, paying bills and distant learning can be provided to the public. However, people with blindness or other form of disability are not able to take full advantage due to the inaccessibility of the technology itself.
This project is aims to address this problem with two approaches: 1) developing technologies that create universal accessible contents on the Web, and algorithms that convert existing inaccessible contents to become accessible;
2)
developing (ubiquitous) tools that enable easy access to information, and interfaces that are adaptable and interoperable no matter where the user is and what equipment the user is using.
Project start date: 09/2004
Project end date: 10/2007
Project TeDUB
Co-worker(s): George Ioannidis, Helen Petrie, Blaithin
Gallagher
The TeDUB project is about transforming visual information in technical
drawings into an understandable form for blind people. Digitised technical
drawings are available for use at work, for education, and at home. They
are presented and edited on standard PCs with appropriate software
installed.
There are 4 key objectives to be achieved by this project: 1) to create an
environment for blind computer users that is capable of handling technical
drawings that were previously digitised; 2) to create an image processing
module which will analyse arbitrary images for contents that match technical
drawings; 3)to create appropriate interface(s) for blind computer users
to handle the extracted data; and 4) platform independence of the proposed system.
Project start date: 01/10/2001
Project end date: 30/09/2005
Last updated: 20/11/2007
Prof. Nikolaos Bourbakis
Assistive Technologies Research Centre (ATRC), Joshi Engineering Building, Rooms 477-479, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435, United States of America.
Tel: +1 937 775 5138
Fax: +1 937 775 5127
Email: nikolaos.bourbakis@wright.edu
Web: www.cs.wright.edu/itri/bourbakis/
Current & recent projects
Tyflos-Reader - A Document reader for visually impaired
This project deals with the development of a document Reader for visually impaired/blind. It is a wearable system (dark glasses with a camera, portable computer, microphone, ear speaker, software, etc) that captures images from a certain document (book, newspaper) and interactively with the user "reads" the document, converts it into natural language text,ten into speech for the user through an ear speaker.
Project end date: 2008
Tyflos-Navigator - A Wearable navigation system for visually impaired/blind
This project deals with the development of a wearable device (dark glasses with 2 cameras, portable computer, microphone, earspeaker, 2D vibration array, software, etc). It captures images from the surrounding environment, converts them into 3D representations and generates vibrations (on the user chest) associated with the distances of the user's head from the surrounding obstacles.
Project end date: 2008
Last updated: 21/10/2007
Dr. John Brabyn
The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, Rehabilitation Engineering
Research Center (RERC), 2318 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, California
94115-1821, United States of America.
Tel: +1 415 345-2110
Fax: +1 415 345-8455
Email: brabyn@ski.org
Web: www.ski.org/Rehab/
Publications
Current & recent projects
The "SKI" (Smith-Kettlewell Institute) Real World Vision and Task Performance in the Elderly
Co-worker(s): Marilyn Schneck, Gunilla Haegerstrom-Portnoy, Lori Lott, Jean Brennan, Cathy West, Ginny Gildengorin, Ruth Youngquist, Bebe St. John, Martin Winderl, Al Alden
The "SKI" Study aims to investigate vision under conditions of everyday task performance in older persons. The goal is to find out more about how different aspects of vision (especially those other than acuity) change with age, how they affect performance on visual tasks, how they interact with other aspects of health and functioning, and whether predictions can be made about future visual impairment and task performance based on present measures of vision. The project aims to develop and identifying vision tests that better represent vision under real world, non-ideal conditions and measure aspects of vision of which older persons complain.
Ongoing
Wayfinding and Navigation for Blind and Visually Impaired Persons
Co-worker(s): Josh Miele, Helen Simon, Billie-Louise Bentzen, James Coughlan, Huiying Shen, William Crandall
This project is designed to strengthen the foundations of wayfinding technology for assisting blind and visually impaired individuals to travel safely and independently. The aim is to address some of the fundamental issues that will inform future technology solutions and interventions. What information do blind and visually impaired travelers really want and need for safe independent travel? Why is there such an extreme range in navigational facility within the visually impaired population? What are the upper limits of the information that can be gained from traditional Orientation and Mobility training and environmental cues? How are the subtle auditory cues affected in subpopulations with different types of hearing loss? How should wayfinding performance, and barriers to it, be quantified so that future progress can be measured? What is the role of advance travel planning? By pursuing answers to these fundamental questions, the aim is to provide a research-based foundation to inform and improve: 1) O&M instructional strategies; 2) the design of new wayfinding technologies; and 3) future research.
Ongoing
Last updated: 21/11/2007
Assistant Prof. Björn Breidegard
Certec, LTH, P.O. Box 118, S-221 00 Lund, Sweden.
Tel: +46 46 222 80 76
Fax: +46 46 222 44 31
Email: bjorn@certec.lth.se
Web: www.english.certec.lth.se/staff/bjorn/
Publications
Current & recent projects
Reading with hands: measuring technology, theory and empirical studies
Co-worker(s): Yvonne Eriksson,
Kerstin Fellenius,
Kenneth Holmqvist, Bodil Jönsson,
Sven Strömqvist, Åsa Wengelin
The goal of the project "Reading with hands" is to find a new base for diagnosis criteria and assessment, pedagogical support and evaluation of the reading process in Braille and tactile pictures. Experts from the scientific fields of technology, psycholinguistics, cognition and education have been working together to design and test methods for recording, measuring and analyzing tactile reading online. Hands and finger movements are registered on-line during the
reading process. The procedure can also be followed on the
computer screen. Later, the on-line registration can be reviewed
and analysed by a special designed software for computer
aided interactive analysis and visualization with emphasis on
the features special for braille reading and reading of tactile
pictures.
Project start date: 2003
Project end date: Ongoing
Last updated: 21/11/2007
Prof. Stephen Brewster
Multimodal Interaction Group, University of Glasgow, Department of Computer Science, 8-17 Lilybank Gardens,
Hillhead, Glasgow, G12 8QQ,
United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 141 330 4966
Fax: +44 141 330 4913
Email: stephen@dcs.gla.ac.uk
Web: www.tactons.com
Publications
Current & recent projects
An investigation of multimodal interaction with tactile displays
The area of haptic (touch-based) HCI has grown rapidly over the last few years. However, most current haptic devices have scant provision for tactile stimulation, being primarily kinaesthetic devices. The innovative aspect of this research is to open up a new area of study into the cutaneous aspects of HCI and to investigate a range of tactile displays to improve the whole experience of computer haptics. The research has two strands. The first is an investigation of tac cue design, the combination of tactile and kinaesthetic displays and combined tactile auditory multimodal displays. The second strand is the application of this knowledge of tactile interface design to the key application domains of accessibility to visualisations for blind users and mobile/wearable computer interfaces. In both of these areas interact limitations mean that tactile displays can make a major contribution to usability.
Project start date: 01/10/2003
Project end date: 30/09/2008
MultiVis II: Multimodal Tools to Allow Blind People to Create and Manipulate Visualisations
MultiVis II uses multimodal techniques to allow blind users themselves to create and manipulate visualisations interactively using haptic and audio tools, adding and removing points and interacting with the visualisation as they go. The project aims to develop new ways to overcome the confusion and navigation problems often experienced by allowing two-handed interaction and augmenting existing paper-based technologies with haptics and audio to maximise their usefulness. The project will also investigate 3D sound to provide external memory (a fundamental problem for blind people) to mark interesting points, or to easily return to items to facilitate comparisons with other data points. Finally, the project will examine the collaborative use of visualisations by blind people to allow users to work together on their data.
Project start date: 01/10/2004
Project end date: 30/09/2007
Research to improve the usability of human-computer interfaces by the
addition of non-speech sound
Co-worker(s): Philip Gray
Non-speech sound plays an important role in our everyday world but almost
none when we interact with computers. Research will investigate the combination
of sound with visual feedback to improve graphical interfaces to aid partially-sighted
people. Sounds have been added to standard interface components (buttons,
scrollbars, menus, etc) to improve usability. For example, to indicate
when the mouse pointer is over a button on the screen. This work will
result in the design and development of a sonically-enhanced interface
toolkit to help interface designers to build accessible interfaces.
Ongoing
Tactons: An investigation of multimodal interaction with tactile displays
Co-Worker(s): Steven Wall, Lorna Brown, Eve Hoggan
The research intends to open up a new area of study into the cutaneous aspects of HCI and to investigate a range of tactile displays to improve the whole experience of computer haptics. The research has two strands. The first is an investigation of tac cue design, the combination of tactile and kinaesthetic displays and combined tactile auditory multimodal displays. The second strand is the application of this knowledge of tactile interface design to the key application domains of accessibility to visualisations for blind users and mobile/wearable computer interfaces. In both of these areas interact limitations mean that tactile displays can make a major contribution to usability.
Project start date: 01/10/2003
Project end date: 30/09/2008
AudioClouds: Three dimensional audio and Gestural interfaces for mobile
and wearable computers
Co-worker(s): Rod Murray Smith, John Williamson, Georgios Marentakis
The aim of this project is to create mobile and wearable computers that
do not need a visual display. 3D sound is being used to create a larger
display area than is possible with standard stereo. Sounds come from all
around the listener creating a soundscape in which a wide range of different
information can be displayed. Gestures are used to control the audio in
the display. These can be done without sight. Tests of head, hand and
device gestures have been very promising.
Project start date: 01/10/2002
Project end date: 28/02/2006
Last updated: 19/03/2008
Alan Brooks
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association,
Burghfield Common, Reading,
RG7 3YG, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 118 983 5555
Fax: +44 118 983 5433
Email: alan.brooks@guidedogs.org.uk
Web: www.guidedogs.org.uk/
Current & recent projects
- Evaluating technological and other devices in the field of blind mobility.
- Identifying devices to help address the special needs of some clients.
Last updated: 21/11/2007
Dr. Lorna M. Brown
Socio-Digital Systems, Microsoft Research Cambridge,
Roger Needham Building,
7 J J Thomson Avenue,
Cambridge CB3 0FB, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 479700
Web: http://research.microsoft.com/~lornab/
Publications
Current & recent projects
"Shake2Talk": Multimodal Messaging for interpersonal communication
Project exploring how a multimodal communication system might be used for interpersonal communication. By combining gestural inputs with audio and vibrotactile outputs, users can compose and send their own multimodal messages, which they can use to communicate with other people remotely. The research explores what types of sounds and “touches” people might wish to send, how these are interpreted by the receiver, and how these multimodal messages are used in combination with other communication genres, such as text messaging and voice calls.
Ongoing
TACTONS - Vibrotactile Messages for Non Visual Information Display
Co-worker(s): Stephen Brewster
Vibrotactile displays are becoming increasingly common in everyday devices, with mobile phones, pagers and games controllers all featuring vibration feedback. However, the vibrations used in such devices are usually basic and do not fully exploit the potential of vibration as a means of communication. This research brings together an understanding of cutaneous perception and interaction design and investigates how to construct effective vibrotactile messages.
Project start date: 02/2003
Project end date: 02/2006
MultiVis: a Multimodal Visualisation System for Blind Students using
Virtual Reality
The MultiVis Project is a 3 year EPSRC project in the Department of Computing Science in the University of Glasgow to investigate ways of making visualisations of data (particularly mathematical graphs and tables) accessible to those who are blind or have a visual impairment. This is done primarily through the use of haptic (or touch) and non-speech sound. The project is a follow on from a previous EPSRC project and is now specifically investigating both constructing information visualisations as well as providing fast navigation methods to really provide the same advantages to non-visual visualisation that are present in conventional visualisation.
Ongoing
Last updated: 21/11/2007
Gunilla Brunnström
Department of Ophthalmology, Goteborg University,
SE-431 80 Molndal, Sweden.
Fax: +46 31 412904
Email: gunilla.brunnstrom@oft.gu.se
Web: http://www.oft.gu.se/
Publications
Current & recent projects
Quality of light and quality of life I:
An intervention study among partially sighted
The aim of the study is to investigate how lighting effects the activity functions of partially sighted patients in their homes and the relationship between lighting and quality of life.
Quality of light and quality of life II:
A study about lighting conditions and needs for older people in residential homes
The aim of the study is to describe the lighting conditions in residential homes undertaken to assess the extent to which the lighting meets the resident´s needs.
Last updated: 21/11/2007
Paola Bucciarelli
HBgroup, Via Rombon, 39,
20134 Milano, Italy.
Tel: +39 02 2159 1286
Fax: +39 02 2159 2819
Email: p.bucciarelli@hbgroup.it
Current & recent projects
Production of tactile and coloured maps for blind and partially sighted people
An applied and basic research concerning design methods and techniques as well as production technologies of visual and tactile maps of architectual, urban and territorial environments.
Systematically placing planimetric representations of architectual and urban environments in relation to visual and tactile perceptions the project aim to gain insight on positivity linked with the adoption and the use of maps to see and touch.
For more information, visit:
www.cavazza.it/vedereoltre/2004-1/bucciarelli.en.html
Ongoing
Last updated: 22/11/2007
Mitake Holloman Burts
Keystone Systems, Inc., 8016 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27612, United
States of America.
Tel: +1 800 222 9711 (toll free - USA only)
Tel: +1 919 782-1143
Email: mitake@klas.com
Web: www.klas.com/index.html
Current & recent projects
KLAS (Keystone Library Automation System)
KLAS is an accessible library catalogue for the web. KLAS is written in Progress, a fourth generation language with a relational database management system. KLAS consists of 5 seperate modules: 1) Catalogue Management Module; 2) Circulation Control Module; 3) Patron Services Module; 4) OPAC Module; and 5) Serials Control.
Ongoing
Last updated: 22/11/2007
Last updated: 19.03.2008 © Copyright reserved
