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Design and mobility of visually impaired people: development and evaluation of a wearable system for obstacle detection and communication

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Author(s):
Aline Darc Piculo dos Santos
Total Authors: 1
Document type: Doctoral Thesis
Press: Artes. 2023-08-07.
Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Arquitetura. Artes. Comunicação e Design. Bauru
Defense date:
Advisor: Fausto Orsi Medola
Abstract

Electronic devices have been developed to promote safety, independence, and autonomy in the mobility of visually impaired people. However, most of the studies address the functional aspects, and few studies consider the aspects related to the user-device interaction, which may influence the acceptance and satisfaction with Assistive Technology and, consequently, its usage. The ‘user-device’ interaction is a subject of great interest for Design and Ergonomics, which can contribute to meeting the user’s needs and desires, promoting well being, safety, and satisfaction. In order to contribute to the safety and satisfaction in the mobility of visually impaired people, this study aimed to develop and evaluate a wearable system for obstacle detection and communication, to contribute to the outdoor mobility of visually impaired people. The development of the prototype was based on studies with 8 users with visual impairment and an Orientation and Mobility professional, which enabled the understanding of specific demands for mobility of this target group. The evaluation was done through two experiments – usability and perception about the user – involving 10 blindfolded subjects and 108 subjects, respectively, comparing three conditions: the developed prototype, the white cane, and both technologies combined. The results indicate that the use of both technologies may contribute to the outdoor mobility of visually impaired people. The prototype used with the white cane resulted in fewer collisions and significantly less frustration and a higher perception of safety. On the other hand, it also resulted in a higher time and cognitive load to perform the experiment, which may suggest that more training time may be required for learning and adaptation. The results also suggest that adding the wearable system to the white cane user did not increase the judgment associated to the user. Therefore, based on these findings, this study contributes to the areas of Design, Ergonomics, and Assistive Technology with guidelines for the design and evaluation of wearable technologies for the mobility of visually impaired people. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 19/14438-4 - Design applied to the mobility of visually impaired people: a proposal for research and innovation
Grantee:Aline Darc Piculo dos Santos
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate