Abstract
There are multiple studies demonstrating that 3D printed maps are important to people with blindness. When designed properly, they help users by improving safety and mobility and allow people with blindness to efficiently learn spatial information from the map and plan their travel prior to navigation. However, tactile maps are still not widely among people with blindness, as they are not readily available to them. Creating maps for each person needing a map of a certain location currently requires help from an individual with advanced technical training. They need to use specialized software for 3D models that personnel from disability services and family members of people with blindness usually have no experience with. The goal of this research is to design and implement software that can be used for the automatic generation of maps and be accessible to the general public. Our hypothesis is that by automating all the challenging steps (generation of the 3D model and drawing of optimally designed symbols), this will lead to increased usability and acceptance. Here, we demonstrated an early prototype and evaluated our hypothesis in a user study. To assess the success of this approach, participants answered questions about the process, usability, and social impacts of the software. Overall, participants liked the application because it was easy to use and allowed them to create custom maps with appropriate tactile-encoding features that provide meaningful information to the end user.
Highlights
While tactile maps are very useful for people with blindness [1,2], they are still not widely used
Most of the map creator applications rely heavily on geographic information system (GIS) which provides data about exterior environments. Another technology currently available to users is the Tactile Maps Automated Production (TMAP), a service that generates maps based on street locations and can send an embossed map or map file that can be used independently with an automatically produced audio enabled Talking Tactile Tablet (TTT) [6] and TMAP [7]
The survey was divided into eight sections to collect information from the participants—performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), facilitating conditions (FC), attitude towards using technology (ATUT), computer self-efficacy (CE), computer anxiety (CA), and behavioral intentions (BI)—after using the Tactile Map Creator
Summary
While tactile maps are very useful for people with blindness [1,2], they are still not widely used. In addition to do that, previous research has already shown that generating tactile maps using traditional designs for sighted people (Google Maps and OpenStreet Maps), does not provide sufficient tactile information to a blind or visually impaired user [10] These types of tactile map applications focus on exterior locations and mainly use map data optimized for sighted. The map creator application uses a 2D graphic user interface and a set of previously optimized encodings, and it auto-generates a 3D model of the map that can be 3D printed This goal was to provide an integrated system that is user friendly for caregivers and mobility and orientation professionals so that they may provide tactile maps to aid people with blindness and visual impairments in safe navigation of interior spaces. This application can be an excellent solution for low- and middle-income countries where 3D printers have already become available, but many caregivers might lack special CAD expertise to create the maps on their own
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
