Abstract
People who are blind or low vision currently hasn’t obtained an effectual solution to access map applications. Although there are existing several paper-based tactile map projects, most of them need additional processing when product of new area of a map. Besides because of the size limitation of paper materials, these kinds of map fail to provide detailed information. In order to improvement accessibility of geographic data, we develop an audio-haptic map browser to access geo-data from an off-the-shelf GIS through a large-scale Braille display. The browser enables to not only maintain lively haptic sensation via raised pins, but also speech out detailed information of each map element stored in the GIS database. Furthermore, in principle it is possible to carry out worldwide map without any additional processing, if the GIS database supports. We employ a novel method, blinking pins, aimed at locating map elements quickly when implementing map search operations. Excepting introduction of our methodologies, we evaluate the system in 2 phases by participation of 4 blind persons. The results of evaluations have been issued in the end.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Rowell, J., Ungar, S.: The world of touch: an international survey of tactile maps. Part 1: production. The British Journal of Visual Impairment 21(3), 98–104 (2003)
Miele, J.: Tactile Map Automated Production (TMAP): using GIS data to generate Braille maps. In: CSUN International Conference on Technology and Persons with Disabilities, Los Angeles, CA (March 2004)
Miele, J.: Talking TMAP: Automated generation of audio-tactile maps using Smith-Kettlewell’s TMAP software. British Journal of Visual Impairment 24(2), 93–110 (2006)
Parente, P., Bishop, G.: BATS: The Blind Audio Tactile Mapping System. In: Proceedings of ACM South Eastern Conference, GA, http://www.cs.unc.edu/Research/assist/bats/history.shtml
Velazquez, R., Fontaine, E., Pissaloux, E.: Coding the Environment in Tactile Maps for Real-Time Guidance of the Visually Impaired. In: Proceeding of International Symposium on Micro-NanoMechatronics and Human Science, pp. 1–6 (2006)
NIST visual display, http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/factsheet/visualdisplay.htm
Kwon, H.J., et al.: Braille dot display module with a PDMS membrane driven by a thermopneumatic actuator. Sens. Actuators A: Phys. 154, 238–246 (2009)
Richter, A., Paschew, G.: Optoelectrothermic Control of Highly Integrated Polymer-Based MEMS Applied in an Artificial Skin. Advanced Materials 21(9), 979–983 (2009)
Völkel, T., Weber, G., Baumann, U., Lüthi, F.: Tactile Graphics Revised: The Novel BrailleDis 9000 Pin-Matrix Device with Multitouch Input. In: Miesenberger, K., Klaus, J., Zagler, W.L., Karshmer, A.I. (eds.) ICCHP 2008. LNCS, vol. 5105, pp. 865–872. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)
Schmidt, M., Weber, G.: Multitouch Haptic Interaction. In: Processings of HCI International 2009, San Diego, CA, USA, pp. 574–582 (2009)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Zeng, L., Weber, G. (2010). Audio-Haptic Browser for a Geographical Information System. In: Miesenberger, K., Klaus, J., Zagler, W., Karshmer, A. (eds) Computers Helping People with Special Needs. ICCHP 2010. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 6180. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14100-3_70
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14100-3_70
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-14099-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-14100-3
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)