Abstract
Braille reading is a complex process involving intricate finger-motion patterns and finger-rubbing actions across Braille letters for the stimulation of appropriate nerves. Although Braille reading is performed by smoothly moving the finger from left-to-right, research shows that even fluent reading requires right-to-left movements of the finger, known as “reversal”. Reversals are crucial as they not only enhance stimulation of nerves for correctly reading the letters, but they also show one to re-read the letters that were missed in the first pass. Moreover, it is known that reversals can be performed as often as in every sentence and can start at any location in a sentence. Here, we report experimental results on the feasibility of an algorithm that can render a machine to automatically adapt to reversal gestures of one’s finger. Through Braille-reading-analogous tasks, the algorithm is tested with thirty sighted subjects that volunteered in the study. We find that the finger motion adaptive algorithm (FMAA) is useful in achieving cooperation between human finger and the machine. In the presence of FMAA, subjects’ performance metrics associated with the tasks have significantly improved as supported by statistical analysis. In light of these encouraging results, preliminary experiments are carried out with five blind subjects with the aim to put the algorithm to test. Results obtained from carefully designed experiments showed that subjects’ Braille reading accuracy in the presence of FMAA was more favorable then when FMAA was turned off. Utilization of FMAA in future generation Braille reading devices thus holds strong promise.
Highlights
Braille literacy is crucial for blind individuals, as it enables life-long learning and is key to employment and independency [1]
In order to calculate PTE1, the highest achieved curve-coverage-percentage is found among the four conditions (NAA, adaptive algorithm (AA), AA+, No finger motion adaptive algorithm (NAA)+), and is taken as 100 points, and all the remaining scores are normalized based on this value
The task presented to subjects is reading passages that are embossed in Braille using a continuous labeler tape and wrapped spirally around a rotating wheel, which either rotates based on finger motion adaptive algorithm (FMAA), or at a constant speed
Summary
Braille literacy is crucial for blind individuals, as it enables life-long learning and is key to employment and independency [1]. One way to promote Braille literacy is to make existing Braille reading devices more accessible, affordable, and user friendly. Available Braille reading devices in this regard need various improvements [2, 3]. Most of these devices cost thousands of dollars, mainly because they rely on multiple piezoelectric actuators in order to create the Braille letters [3]. Other issues include high voltage actuation and reduced portability. In order to solve these issues and improve existing Braille displays, various actuation methods such as thermal, electrical, and mechanical, have been widely investigated [4,5,6,7,8,9]
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