Spatial perception of blind people by auditory maps on a tablet PC

Abstract

Although a tablet PC is designed mainly for sighted people, there are potential applications for the blind. An auditory map system for the blind is proposed as one of the applications on a tablet PC. The proposed application requires no additional devices or software other than a table PC, which would be a cheap alternative to expensive existing tools for the blind people. With the frame work of dimensionality from geography, point-line-area, more systematic testing is conducted with 20 totally blind people, to provide valuable information about the potential implementation of an auditory interface on a geographic information system for the blind. Moreover, since the participants are totally blind and the number of them is much more than other research on the blind, it will provide more valid information and conditions necessary for the implementation.