Development of an Audio-based Virtual Gaming Environment to Assist with Navigation Skills in the Blind

Summary

Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) is virtual environment software designed to improve real world navigation skills in the blind.

Abstract

Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) is virtual environment software designed to improve real world navigation skills in the blind. Using only audio based cues and set within the context of a video game metaphor, users gather relevant spatial information regarding a building's layout. This allows the user to develop an accurate spatial cognitive map of a large-scale three-dimensional space that can be manipulated for the purposes of a real indoor navigation task. After game play, participants are then assessed on their ability to navigate within the target physical building represented in the game. Preliminary results suggest that early blind users were able to acquire relevant information regarding the spatial layout of a previously unfamiliar building as indexed by their performance on a series of navigation tasks. These tasks included path finding through the virtual and physical building, as well as a series of drop off tasks. We find that the immersive and highly interactive nature of the AbES software appears to greatly engage the blind user to actively explore the virtual environment. Applications of this approach may extend to larger populations of visually impaired individuals.

Introduction

Finding one's way in an unfamiliar environment presents as a significant challenge for the blind. Navigating successfully requires an understanding of the spatial relationships that exist between one's self and objects in the environment^1,2. The mental representation that describes surrounding space is referred to as a spatial cognitive map³. Blind individuals can gather relevant spatial information regarding their surrounding environment through other sensory channels (such as hearing) allowing for the generation of an accurate spatial cognitive map for the purposes of real world navigation tasks^4,5.

Consi....

Protocol

1. Participant Demographics

This is an on-going study that recruits blind male and female participants aged between 18-45 years. All participants are legally blind of early onset (documented prior to the age of 3) and of varying ocular etiologies. None of the study participants were previously familiar with the spatial layout of the target physical building.

2. Preparation and Familiarization with AbES

1. Provide the participant with a blindfold and headphones to be worn throughout the training and assessment process. Ensure that the blindfold is comfortably placed over the eyes and the headphones are pro....

Results

Results from three early blind participants (aged between 19 and 22 years) are shown (see Table 1 for participant characteristics). In summary, all three participants showed a high level of success on all three navigation tasks following game play with the AbES software. This was confirmed by the performance scores (group mean and individual) on all three behavioral tasks (see Figure 6). The percentage correct performance for the virtual (mean: 90%) followed by the physical (mean: 88.7%).......

Discussion

We describe an interactive audio-based virtual environment simulator designed to improve general spatial awareness and navigation skills in the blind. We demonstrate that interacting with AbES provides accurate cues that describe the spatial relationships between objects and the overall layout of the target environment. Blind users can generate accurate spatial cognitive maps based on this auditory information and by interacting with the immersive virtual environment. Furthermore, interacting with AbES within the context.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Laptop computer			Laptop used exclusively for training participants and collecting data
Stereo Head phones (fully enclosed circumaural design)			Worn by all participants during training
Blindfold			Worn by all participants during training and testing