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Exploratory in situ evaluation of the OptiBand: A haptic navigation aid for spatial perception.
- Source :
-
Technology & Disability . 2024, Vol. 36 Issue 1/2, p57-68. 12p. - Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- BACKGROUND: Vision impairments affect the ability to navigate environments and gain spatial perception of one's surroundings. Existing navigation aids typically provide close-range information, but not feedback on farther distances (i.e., beyond 5 m from the user). OBJECTIVE: To address this gap, the OptiBand, a custom assistive device, was previously designed with a stakeholder who is blind. The OptiBand uses Lidar sensing and haptic feedback to relay information on objects up to 15 m away. In this paper, we sought to evaluate the efficacy of the OptiBand with an in situ user study. METHODS: N = 9 participants (eight blind and one low-vision) used the OptiBand for a period of three months. Users periodically rated spatial perception workload and trust of their assistive navigation aids (at first as a baseline without the OptiBand, and then with the OptiBand). RESULTS: The OptiBand tended to yield lower workload requirements and similar trust levels compared to existing navigation aids. Interview data demonstrated the usefulness of the OptiBand in selected day-to-day tasks such as navigating outdoors and maintaining appropriate interpersonal spacing. CONCLUSIONS: This work provides evidence on benefits of and potential uses of assistive navigation aids like the OptiBand. Researchers interested in similar devices can benefit from our efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *SENSES
*RESEARCH funding
*DATA analysis
*INTERVIEWING
*QUESTIONNAIRES
*PRODUCT design
*TREATMENT effectiveness
*BIOFEEDBACK training
*EMOTIONS
*ASSISTIVE technology
*COMMERCIAL product evaluation
*SURVEYS
*THEMATIC analysis
*RESEARCH
*RESEARCH methodology
*FRIEDMAN test (Statistics)
*ANALYSIS of variance
*STATISTICS
*TRUST
*BLINDNESS
*SPACE perception
*LOW vision
*MEDICAL equipment reliability
*PATIENTS' attitudes
*EMPLOYEES' workload
*ACTIVITIES of daily living
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10554181
- Volume :
- 36
- Issue :
- 1/2
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Technology & Disability
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 177967084
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3233/TAD-230033