Tactile Graphics and Models for Blind People and Recognition of Shapes by Touch - Non-Visual presentation of graphs using the Novint Falcon - Alabbadi, Reham (s)

1. Non-visual Presentation of
Graphs Using the Novint
Falcon
Reham Alabbadi, Peter Blanchfield, and Maria Petridou
University of Nottingham, School of Computer Science
11 July 2012
& IT

2. Objectives
 Introduction
 Motivation
 The Falcon Graph (Implementation, testing, and
results)
 Conclusion
The University of Nottingham Reham Alabbadi, 2012 2

3. Introduction
 The Falcon Graph Interface
- Haptic interface
- Enable visually impaired individuals to access computer-based
visualisation techniques
- Novint Falcon display
(www.novint.com)
- Connected to spreadsheet system
The University of Nottingham Reham Alabbadi, 2012 3

4. Motivation
 The importance of graphs and diagrams
 Blind individuals are still deprived from accessing
some certain types of information
 Alternative formats available
- Textual descriptions (Approximately 10-20% know how to read
Braille (Yu, Ramloll, and Brewster, 2000)
- Tactile drawings (e.g. Swell paper)
- Audio sounds
- Haptic displays (e.g. The PHANToM, CyberGrasp, haptic mouse)
The University of Nottingham Reham Alabbadi, 2012 4

5. The Falcon Graph
The University of Nottingham Reham Alabbadi, 2012 5

6. The Falcon Graph
(Implimintation)
The University of Nottingham Reham Alabbadi, 2012 6

7. The Falcon Graph (Testing)
Subject Visual impairment Residual Vision Experience with the Novint
A Congenitally blind No Yes
B Congenitally blind No Yes
C Congenitally blind No Yes
D Low vision Used No
E Blind No No
The University of Nottingham Reham Alabbadi, 2012 7

8. The Falcon Graph (Results)
 Identifying and locating the graphs was less
accurate than perception of basic models
 Pie Chart - Vibration was helpful to distinguish
different pieces of the pie chart
 Bar Chart - Identifying the chart was the most
difficult task
- The size of the bars was small
- The gap between the bars made it difficult to navigate
- Vibration effect
The University of Nottingham Reham Alabbadi, 2012 8

9. The Falcon Graph (Results)
 Line Graph
- The lines were identifiable (increasing or decreasing)
- Small graphical features of the lines made it difficult to navigate
- Very difficult to find understand intersecting line graphs
 Surface effect - magnetic and vibration
The University of Nottingham Reham Alabbadi, 2012 9

10. Conclusion
 The Falcon Graph is a convenient interface in which
a virtual environment presentation is connected to a
well known commercially available spreadsheet
system such as Microsoft Excel
 It takes into consideration two crucial factors - the
availability and affordability of the current displays
The University of Nottingham Reham Alabbadi, 2012 10

11. Thank You