Talking Braille: A Wireless Ubiquitous Computing Network for Orientation and Wayfinding
By Ross, David A.; Lightman, Alexander; ASSETS 2005 - The Seventh International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, pp. 98-105Publication Date: October 9-12, 2005
Review of the Talking Braille system, a ubiquitous computing network in development to assist persons with vision loss in finding their way around buildings and other indoor public spaces. It is based on the “Cyber Crumb” concept: the idea that tiny, inexpensive solar-powered digital chips can be used to store relevant pieces of information that can be placed along building walkways like a trail of crumbs to follow. A wireless network of “crumbs,” embedded in so-called Talking Braille Signs, provides access from any point in the building to a central server that provides orientation and wayfinding information. The user of the system sports an accessible cell phone and a CharmBadge receiver. The processing power of the cell phone is harnessed to run this system, and the phone’s user interface employed to interact with the system: request information, select a destination, and ask for directions. The system was evaluated by 27 participants, 17 with severe vision loss and 10 fully sighted individuals age 31-86, using 2 test routes in a hospital building. Participants found the system easy to use, intuitive, easy to understand, and able to provide needed information. Implications for further development of the system are discussed.
Published by: Association for Computing Machinery (Website:http://www.acm.org)
SIGACCESS (ACM Special Interest Group on Accessible Computing) (Web Site: http://www.sigaccess.org )
