Audio-tactile Location Markers: Accessible Real-world Tagging for the Blind

Richard Schlögl, Martin Tomitsch, Christoph Wimmer, Thomas Grechenig, Karin Kappel
DB

Abstract

In this paper we present the concept of Audio-tactile Location Markers (ALMs) as a remedy to the lack of accessibility in current tag-based applications. ALMs are an auxiliary enhancement for existing real-world tags, which propagates their existence and purpose to blind and vision impaired people in the vicinity. Users can activate an audible signal based on a pre-selection of available tags (pull) or choose to be constantly informed about nearby tags (push). We evaluated both methods with blind and vision-impaired people using an NFC-enabled smartphone. Participants experienced no problems locating the ALM based on the audible signal, but required assistance with touching the tag. Pull was favored to push in specific situations.

Type
Conference paper
Publication
Talk: The Fourth IASTED International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction 2009, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; 11-22-2009 - 11-24-2009; in: “Proceedings of Computers and Advanced Technology in Education 2009”, Acta Press, Vol. 358, Lund, Sweden (2009), ISBN: 978-0-88986-816-8; 551 - 554
Christoph Wimmer
Projektass. Dipl.-Ing.
Thomas Grechenig
Thomas Grechenig
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn.
Karin Kappel
Projektass.in Dipl.-Ing.in Mag.a rer.soc.oec. Dr.in techn.