Development of 3D Tactile Models for the Partially Sighted to Facilitate Spatial Orientation

Abstract

Lacking or poor provision of comprehensive information about the spatial environment for the purposes of effective orientation is a problem that primarily affects the blind and partially sighted, but it can also cause difficulties for older people with increasing visual impairment. This research project in progress aims to obtain new scientific findings with regard to the basic suitability and required composition of tactile models to facilitate spatial orientation for the blind and partially sighted. Tactile scale models serve as an orientation aid. Their intention is to make it easier for visually impaired people to “experience” selected structural characteristics of the real space, even if in scaled-down form. This experience allows them to experiment with space and to better recognize spatial elements and their interrelationships. It also helps them to better recognize subspaces, possible spatial sequences, as well as decision-making situations in these spaces. These tactile processes are supported by the highly sensitive tactile faculties of people with visual impairment, which are far more finely differentiated than those of sighted people who experience objects without this disability. The amount of available digital model data is constantly growing and would allow for the creation of tactile models.