[accessibleimage] [ENN] Tool lets blind people 'touch' graphics

Kaye Travnicek <ktravnicek@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> has sent the following story to you 
from ElectricNews.net.

The story is available from http://www.electricnews.net/news.html?code=9374943

Tool lets blind people 'touch' graphics
Friday, September 12 2003
by Anthony Quinn

A new type of computer interface, partly developed in Ireland, is to enable 
blind
people feel and hear 3D graphic environments.

The technology is being developed as part of an EU funded research project 
called
GRAB (Computer Graphics Access for Blind people), and its end goal is to create
workspaces that will let blind and visually impaired people navigate virtual 3D
environments. The technology could, eventually, allow users to "feel" a virtual
street map or pie chart or play a 3D game -- all examples of tools already
developed as part of the project. 


Two of the six partner organisations that developed the breakthrough device are
based in Ireland. The National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) is a user
organisation that has been testing the software and hardware components. 

"The GRAB project is very exciting," said John Wood of the NCBI. "One of the
most practical uses which we have been testing is with charts and graphs. These
are not usually accessible to blind or visually impaired people. Spreadsheet
information can now be translated into 3D, so a user can feel a pie-chart or
graph."


Dublin-based Haptica, meanwhile, is a GRAB project exploitation partner that is
currently examining the commercial aspects of the project. A spokesperson for 
the
company told ElectricNews.Net that the device is in its prototype phase and it 
is
not known when it will be commercially available. The product may first be sold
to public authorities so that it can be placed at people's disposal in libraries
and other public venues.

The device itself, including the software it runs on, is called the Haptic &
Audio Virtual Environment (HAVE) and it consists of two mechanical arms that are
attached to the user's fingers on each hand over a large flat surface such as a
desktop. 

Here's how the arms work: a shape or object is loaded onto a computer which
relays this information to the HAVE arms so that they are aware of the 
dimensions
of the virtual object. If the object were a one-foot cube, for example, the user
would only be able to move his fingers to the edges of the invisible cube, with
the HAVE arms preventing any further movement. 

Importantly, elastic material like cotton or rubber can be simulated, with the
HAVE arms offering more resistance as the virtual object is compressed.  Even
textures and bumps, or characteristics like stickiness and smoothness, can be
simulated using the technology. If the user has failed to explore all of the
virtual workspace, the interface will take control and guide them towards any
remaining surfaces or objects.


Depending on the application, users can receive audio feedback to provide
information about virtual objects, and information about their actual position
within the environment. The technology can be controlled using verbal and
keyboard commands and can zoom in and out to explore objects whose size is too
big or small.


The EU-funded EUR1.38 million GRAB project has brought together researchers and
experts from Ireland, Spain, UK, Italy and Germany. It is thought that the
technology can be used for applications in disparate fields such as 
architecture,
art, aeronautics and medicine.

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