Using Wii Technology to Explore Real Spaces Via Virtual Environments for People Who Are Blind by H. Gedalevitz, O. Lahav, S. Battersby, D. Brown, L. Evett and P. Merritt

1. Gedalevitz, Lahav
School of Education
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv, Israel
Battersby, Brown, Evett and Merritt
Computing and Technology Team
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham, UK
Using Wii Technology
to Explore Real Spaces
Via Virtual Environments
for People Who Are Blind

2. Research Goals
Understand whether blind people can construct
a cognitive map by exploring an unknown space
using the Virtual-cane (Wii-based VE) and later
to apply it in the real space

3. Research Questions
(1) What exploration strategies and processes
do blind people use when working with
Virtual-cane?
(2) Does using the Virtual-cane contribute to the
construction of a cognitive map?
(3) How does this cognitive map contribute to
the blind person’s orientation performance in
real spaces?

4. Last Thing First…
The Virtual-cane changed the way the participants
explored VEs:
 More scanning than walking
 More object-to-object than perimeter strategy
 Long pauses
Spatial representations were achieved, where Mapmodel was the main representation
The participants orientation tasks in the real spaces
(simple & complex) were performed correctly using a
direct path

5. The Virtual-cane
Walking
Scanning
(Haptic feedback)

6. Participants
The participants (N=10) were adults, men and
women, totally blind, congenitally and late blind
The participants were divided into two groups:
- Experimental group (n=5)
- Control group (n=5)

7. Variables
Exploration process
Duration; exploration mode; orientation
strategies; and systematic exploration
Cognitive map construction
Space components and their location; spatial
strategy; and spatial model
Orientation tasks performance
Duration; success; type of path; and aids used

8. Research Instrument
Eight training environments

9. Research Instrument
Two simulated environments:
Complex
Simple

10. Research Instruments
Tasks
 Exploration task
 Description task
 Orientation tasks:
 Object-oriented
 Perspective-change
 Pointing-to-the-location
Path drawing
Interact ©
All tasks were
video recorded.
The videos were
coded using the
Interact©

11. Procedure
Experimental Group
Control Group
O&M Questionnaire & Open Interview
Meeting #1
Meeting #1-4
Training using the
Virtual-cane
Meeting #5
Simple space
&
Meeting #6
Complex space
Exploration task
in the VE
Exploration task
in the real space
Description task
Orientation tasks in the real space
Meeting #1
Simple space
&
Meeting #2
Complex space

12. Results >>>>>>>

13. (1)
Complex VE
Simple VE
N
What exploration strategies and processes do blind
people use when working with Virtual-cane?
Duration
(seconds)
1
1764
2
2979
3
2312
4
3525
5
1938
Total average
1
1596
2
3791
3
2683
4
5213
5
2713
Total average
Walking mode
Spatial strategy
Scanning mode
Name
37%
28%
41%
45%
50%
Distance
33%
54%
33%
21%
28%
Perimeter
2%
5%
0%
4%
6%
22%
49%
32%
23%
20%
1%
3%
2%
5%
9%
74%
51%
26%
46%
43%
51%
72%
Object to object
6%
6%
3%
3%
8%
8%
7%
13%
2%
6%
11%
12%
Pauses
23%
7%
22%
28%
7%
17%
21%
6%
16%
22%
7%
14%

14. (2)
N
Does using the Virtual-cane contribute to the
construction of a cognitive map?
Space
Spatial strategy
components
Estimated Spatial
relationship representation
Chronology
Complex VE
66%
List
4
Map model
Structure
2
75%
Starting point
11
Map model
Structure
3
57%
Object to object
9
Route model
Structure
4
5
59%
50%
Map model
Map model
Structure
Structure
19%
Object to object
Area & Object to
object
List
15
16
1
Simple VE
1
1
List
Structure
2
44%
Area
12
Route model
Structure
3
4
38%
53%
14
15
46%
Route model
Map and route
model
Map model
Structure
Structure
5
Object to object
Area & Object to
object
Area
15
Structure

15. (3)
How does this cognitive map contribute to the blind
person’s orientation performance in the real space?
N
Simple VE
1
2
3
4
5
AVG
Complex VE
1
2
3
4
5
AVG
Object-oriented tasks
Duration
Success
Direct path
(seconds)
358
67%
33%
180
67%
67%
117
67%
67%
174
100%
100%
137
67%
67%
193
73%
67%
220
50%
0%
373
50%
50%
65
0%
0%
718
0%
0%
226
50%
50%
320
30%
20%

16. (3)
How does this cognitive map contribute to the blind
person’s orientation performance in the real space?
N
Simple VE
1
2
3
4
5
AVG
Complex VE
1
2
3
4
5
AVG
Walking path
Perspective-change tasks
Duration
Success
Direct path
(seconds)
294
100%
100%
300
67%
67%
249
33%
0%
576
100%
67%
214
67%
67%
327
73%
60%
604
50%
50%
639
100%
50%
529
50%
0%
665
100%
100%
322
50%
50%
552
70%
50%
Pointing
Success
100%
67%
67%
83%
83%
80%
50%
0%
17%
33%
50%
30%

17. (3)
How does this cognitive map contribute to the blind
person’s orientation performance in the real space?
N
Simple VE
1
2
3
4
5
AVG
Complex VE
1
2
3
4
5
AVG
Full table
Perspective-Change tasks
Duration
Success
Direct path
(seconds)
294
100%
100%
300
67%
67%
249
33%
0%
576
100%
67%
214
67%
67%
327
73%
60%
604
50%
50%
639
100%
50%
529
50%
0%
665
100%
100%
322
50%
50%
552
70%
50%
Pointing
Success
100%
67%
67%
83%
83%
80%
50%
0%
17%
33%
50%
30%

18. Conclusions
 The virtual cane changed the way the
participants explored the VEs:
 More scanning than walking
 More object-to-object than perimeter
strategy
 Long pauses
 Spatial representations were achieved, where
Map-model was the main representation

19. Conclusions
 As the spaces became more complex the
cognitive map was less detailed
 Participants managed to perform well in most
of the tasks in the real simple and complex
spaces
 Most walking paths were direct to object

20. Future implementation
 R&D on outdoor complex spaces
 Compare the Virtual-cane with different
virtual technologies
 Improve the UI for a shorter learning process

21. Thank you for listening
Special thanks
Hadas, Steven, David, Lindsay, and Patrick
The 10 participants that came voluntary
Itzik and Einat (video’s man)
lahavo@post.tau.ac.il

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