[accessibleimage] tactile research, drawing system, capsule paper

Links to research

Tactile Sense and Blind Persons
Tactile Graphics and Braille
 http://www.nise.go.jp/research/kogaku/twatanab/Tactile/TactileEn.html


Paper
Makoto Kobayashi1  and Tetsuya Watanabe2

(1)  National Universities Corporation Tsukuba College of Technology, Kasuga 4-12-7, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, Japan
(2)  National Institute of Special Education, Nobi 5-1-1, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa, Japan

Abstract
A new Communication system for the blind has been developed. The system, named MIMIZU, is composed of a pair of terminals equipped with refreshable tactile graphic display and ultrasonic pen device. Using the terminal, a blind user can make drawings directly as he likes on the tactile surface with ultrasonic pen. The other blind user can recognize the tactile image appeared on the other terminal by touching it. In this way, the system can support communication between blind users by means of tactile graphics. We describe results of simple experiments in which a subject tried to transmit simple drawings to the other subject. The results show difficulty of transmitting a shape of circle without preliminary information because resolution of the display was not enough. However, it is useful to transmit shapes composed of straight lines. And even if the shape is a circle, the user can recognize it when he has information in advance.

Communication System for the Blind Using Tactile Displays and Ultrasonic Pens – MIMIZU
Book Series Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Publisher Springer Berlin / Heidelberg
ISSN 0302-9743 (Print) 1611-3349 (Online)
Volume Volume 3118/2004
Book Computers Helping People with Special Needs
Copyright 2004
ISBN 978-3-540-22334-4
Category Blind People: Access to Graphics and Haptic Interfaces
Pages 731-738
Subject Collection Computer Science
SpringerLink Date Friday, July 02, 2004


Lisa Yayla
Huseby Kompetansesenter
Oslo Norway
lisa.yayla@xxxxxxxxxx

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