Hi All, In an earlier conversation with Nayab (off-list) I was intrigued by the fact that the neuroimaging software can output the digital data on which the coloured topographical brain images are based. This seems to be in the form of an x-y coordinate table, basically listing what value is located at each point in a 2D "brain slice". Essentially this could be thought of as a pixel map of a slice of brain. It's also logically similar to the kind of geographical data stored in a GIS, like the one that Josh Miele is drawing on for his automatically generated road maps (http://www.ski.org/Rehab/TMAP/about.html). In Nayab's case, however, what would be needed is a representation of regions/areas, possibly represented by different tactile textures or by some form of tactile greyscale, rather than representation of lines and points as in Josh's solution. The question occurs, then, whether it might be possible to use the coordinate data to generate a tactile image more directly, rather than trying to process a colour image file (jpeg or whatever it might be) into tactile form. I would assume that the digital coordinate data provides a potentially much more flexible basis for the generation of tactile images, including the possibility of labelling the regions in some way (i.e. by registering the coordinate information against some map of brain anatomy). I would be interested in this as a more general issue, because I think we'd all agree that we need to work towards flexible ways of converting digital spatial information into tactile formats. For instance, a solution to Nayab's problem would also be handy for blind students and practitioners in geography, who need to be able to render digital spatial information in tactile form. All the best, Simon On 28/6/07 16:43, "N.Begum" <begumn1@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hi John, > > Thank you for your email. > We¹re currently trying to get samples of brain images to tiger embosser > manufacturers to assess how much detail I can get from them, but this > technology looks really promising. With regard to the IVEO technology, > we¹re not really sure how useful this might be, as I¹m trying to find ways > to access neuroimaging as independently as possible, and my understanding > of the IVEO touchpad is that I¹d require sighted assistance to assign > labels and descriptions to an image. The VOICE software also sounds very > interesting, and we¹ll definitely try this too, but I was just wondering > how easy it might be to build up a mental image spatially. With a line > graph for example, is it possible to quantify or work out the scale, e.g. > from the no. of seconds the tone sounds for. We¹ve also come across the > Audiographing calculator-do you think this might be more useful to us? > Also, do you happen to know how far research has managed to get in terms > of producing tactile diagrams in real-time? > > Many thanks > > Nayab > > > > > > >> Hello Nayab. The IVEO technology developed by ViewPlus and used with a >> Tiger embosser has much of the functionality that you need. Ability to >> identify color and other image attributes is the subject of an IVEO >> expansion research and development project that is now underway, and it is >> working beautifully in our research applications. The commercial version >> is >> some way from introduction, but I'd be happy to work with you basically as >> a >> participant in this development. I suggest you read over the info on IVEO >> on the ViewPlus web site, and in particular read some of the research >> articles linked from http://www.viewplus.com/abstracts/ to learn what IVEO >> is and can do for you now. Then please write me, and we can discuss the >> current research project and how it might help solve your problems. >> >> Peter Meijer has also written about the innovative VOICe technology that >> he >> has developed. I'd be interested to know whether VOICe could be used in >> combination with IVEO for things like neuro-imaging. My guess is that >> IVEO >> and VOICe would complement each other beautifully. And I'll bet that >> Peter >> would be happy to help out. Maybe he'd like to comment. >> >> John Gardner >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >> [mailto:accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of N.Begum >> Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 7:46 AM >> To: accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >> Cc: barnesgr@xxxxxxxxxxx >> Subject: [accessibleimage] tactile and auditory representations of >> neuroimaging data >> >> Hello, >> >> My name is Nayab Begum, I'm a psychology student at Aston university and >> registered blind. >> I am hoping to pursue a career in neuroimaging, and currently trying to >> find >> ways to make the technique more accessible. This will involve being able >> to >> access complex brain images in colour as well as graphs. >> I was wondering whether anyone might be able to recommend the most >> appropriate assistive technology for tactile diagrams? We've been looking >> into electronically refreshable devices, but there doesn't seem to be >> anything on the market, and we're not sure it would provide sufficient >> level >> of detail. From our research, the most advanced technology seems to be >> the >> tiger embosser, although this also seems to have its limitations. >> If anybody knows about the phantom device, and if it is sold in the UK, >> that >> would also be very helpful. >> Another option we're looking into is converting images to sound-does >> anyone >> have any experience with this? >> Also, for the data analysis, we use matlab and scientific linux. We're in >> the process of installing Ubuntu to use the orca speech software, but >> we're >> not really sure how much i twill be able to read. If anyone has >> experience >> with using linux with a Braille note taker, I'd also be really interested >> to >> know how compatible it is. >> >> We would be really grateful for any advice >> >> Many thanks >> >> Nayab >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SIMON UNGAR Department of Psychology University of Surrey Guildford Surrey GU2 7XH U.K. Tel: +44 (0) 1483 68 6895 Fax: +44 (0) 1483 68 6906 e-mail: s.ungar@xxxxxxxxxxxx ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~