Supporting blind and visually impaired people with digital maps that can enhance spatial awareness and learning about the surrounding environment is a challenge. This study introduces an audio-tactile you-are-here map system that presents map elements and users’ updated location on a mobile pin-matrix display for blind and visually impaired people. In addition to panning and zooming a map, in the system, a set of tactile map symbols consisting of raised and lowered pins have been proposed to present varying map elements. A field test with eight visually impaired subjects and eight blindfolded subjects who did not have experience with tactile maps and Braille was conducted. Subjects would locate surrounding streets easily after a short-time training, as well as nearby point-of-interests (POIs). The results of the evaluation indicated that the mean relative distance error was significantly lower with nearby POIs, which do not require panning while exploring, than far away POIs. Furthermore, it is important to improve the portability of the proposed prototype and develop a one-hand map exploration method.
['Limin Zeng', 'Gerhard Weber']
Exploration of Location-Aware You-Are-Here Maps on a Pin-Matrix Display