Newly blind persons using virtual environment system in a traditional orientation and mobility rehabilitation program: A case study

Orly Lahav*, David W. Schloerb, Mandayam A. Srinivasan

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper presents a virtual reality system (the BlindAid) developed for orientation and mobility training of people who are newly blind. The BlindAid allows users to interact with different virtual structures and objects via auditory and haptic feedback. This case study aims to examine if and how the BlindAid, in conjunction with a traditional rehabilitation programme, can help people who are newly blind develop new orientation and mobility methods. Follow-up research based on this study, with a large experiment and control group, could contribute to the area of orientation and mobility rehabilitation training for the newly blind. The case study research focused on A., a woman who is newly blind, for 17 virtual sessions spanning ten weeks, during the 12 weeks of her traditional orientation and mobility rehabilitation programme. The research was implemented by using virtual environment (VE) exploration and orientation tasks in VE and physical spaces. The research methodology used both qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews, questionnaire, videotape recording, and user computer logs. The results of this study helped elucidate several issues concerning the contribution of the BlindAid system to the exploration strategies and learning processes experienced by the participant in her encounters with familiar and unfamiliar physical surroundings.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)420-435
Number of pages16
JournalDisability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology
Volume7
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2012

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Institutes of Health
National Eye InstituteR21EY016601, 5R21EY16601-2
European Commission

    Keywords

    • Cognitive map
    • Haptic devices
    • Multisensorial environment
    • Simulation

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