Addressing Information Visualization Challenges Resulting from Blindness and Visual Impairment Using Virtual and Augmented Realities
By Ramloll, Rameshsharma, PhD; Proceedings: State of the Science Conference on Telerehabilitation and Applications of Virtual Reality,(Pages: 7) Publication Date: October 2001
Article describes two assistive applications called AudioCave and TouchMelody, which illustrate how ambient environments can be adapted to the specific needs of an individual using virtual and augmented reality approaches. AudioCave is a virtual reality solution used to create an effective shareable data representation that facilitates the tasks of numerical data overview and discovery by students with visual impairments. The program is a starting point for applications aimed at enabling teachers to discuss and share insights about complex multivariate numerical data sets. TouchMelody enhances tactile diagrams with auditory information in an attempt to reduce tactile clutter, while improving the quality of the information in the tactile representation. A multi-user version of TouchMelody could allow geographically dispersed users to share insights about a tactile representation based on principles similar to those used in AudioCave.
Published by: National Rehabilitation Hospital Press (Website:http://www.nrhrehab.org/default.aspx)
RERC on Telerehabilitation (Web Site: http://www.rerctr.pitt.edu/index.html )
Link to text: http://www.telerehab-nrh.org/SOS/Session/proceedings.pdf
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number O14728
