Book Chapters – VEMI Lab

Establishing and maintaining orientation: Tools, techniques, and technologies

aforbes — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 17:02:13 +0000

The chapter provides a thorough survey of the background and challenges related to navigation for people who are blind or visually impaired. It connects theories of multisensory information processing to current technologies for providing navigation assistance and describes tools and techniques to promote accurate spatial learning and navigation using nonvisual sensing. Careful readers will find mention of five current and past lab members, one of Dr. Giudice’s previous guide dogs, and much more!

Citation:
Giudice, N.A. & Long, R.G. (2024). Establishing and maintaining orientation: Tools, techniques, and technologies. In R.S. Wall Emerson, B.B. Blasch, &W.R. Wiener (Eds.), Foundations of orientation and mobility: Vol. I, History and theory (4th ed., pp. 18-54). APH Press.

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The Graphical Access Challenge for People with Visual Impairments: Positions and Pathways Forward

eblackwood — Fri, 03 May 2019 16:19:07 +0000

Graphical access is one of the most pressing challenges for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. This chapter discusses some of the factors underlying the graphics access challenge, reviews prior approaches to addressing this long-standing information access barrier, and describes some promising new solutions. We specifically focus on touchscreen-based smart devices, a relatively new class of
information access technologies, which our group believes represent an exemplary model of user-centered, needs-based design. We highlight both the challenges and the vast potential of these technologies for alleviating the graphics accessibility gap and share the latest results in this line of research. We close with recommendations on ideological shifts in mindset about how we approach solving this vexing access problem, which will complement both technological and perceptual advancements that are rapidly being uncovered through a growing research community in this domain.

Keywords: haptics, touchscreen-based accessibility, vibrotactile displays, multimodal interfaces, information-access technologies

Citation: Gorlewicz, J. L., Tennison, J. L., Palani, H. P., & Giudice, N. A. (2018). The Graphical Access Challenge for People with Visual Impairments: Positions and Pathways Forward. In Interactive Multimedia. IntechOpen (online publication ahead of print).

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Navigating without Vision: Principles of Blind Spatial Cognition

eblackwood — Sat, 24 Feb 2018 16:39:36 +0000

This chapter considers what it means to learn and navigate the world with limited or no vision. It investigates limitations of blindness research, discusses traditional theories of blind spatial abilities, and provides an alternative perspective of many of the oft-cited issues and challenges underlying spatial cognition of blind people. Several provocative assertions pertaining to visual impairment and spatial abilities are advanced that help to better understand navigation without vision, provide greater explanatory power relevant to many of the current debates, and offer some needed guidance on the development of new spatial learning strategies and technological solutions that will ultimately have a significant positive impact on the independence and quality of life of this demographic. An underlying and related theme of the chapter emphasizes the importance of ‘space’ in spatial cognition research, rather than vision as its principle mechanism. There is no debate that vision is an amazing conduit of spatial information, but it is also important to remember that it does not have a monopoly on space. Indeed, all of our senses encode spatial information to one degree or another, and as we will discuss, this commonality allows for equivalent performance on many of the same spatial behaviors, independent of whether they originate from visual or nonvisual perception.

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Giudice, N.A. (2018) Navigating without vision: Principles of Blind Spatial Cognition. In D.R. Montello (ed.), Handbook of Behavioral and Cognitive Geography: Edward Elgar Publishing. Chapter 15, (pp. 260-288). Cheltenham, UK; Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing. (corresponding author)

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Representing 3D Space in Working Memory: Spatial Images from Vision, Hearing, Touch, and Language

eblackwood — Sun, 26 May 2013 15:08:54 +0000

The chapter deals with a form of transient spatial representation referred to as a spatial image. Like a percept, it is externalized, scaled to the environment, and can appear in any direction about the observer. It transcends the concept of modality, as it can be based on inputs from the three spatial senses, from language, and from long-term memory. Evidence is presented that supports each of the claimed properties of the spatial image, showing that it is quite different from a visual image. Much of the evidence presented is based on spatial updating. A major concern is whether spatial images from different input modalities are functionally equivalent-that once instantiated in working memory, the spatial images from different modalities have the same functional characteristics with respect to subsequent processing, such as that involved in spatial updating. Going further, the research provides some evidence that spatial images are amodal (i.e., do not retain modality-specific features).

Citation: Loomis, J. M., Klatzky, R. L., & Giudice, N. A. (2013). Representing 3D space in working memory: Spatial images from vision, hearing, touch, and language. In Multisensory imagery (pp. 131-155). Springer New York.

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Sensory substitution of vision:Importance of perceptual and cognitive processing

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 15:51:59 +0000

Citation: Loomis, J.M., Klatzky, R.L., & Giudice, N.A. (2012). Sensory substitution of vision: Importance of perceptual and cognitive processing. In R. Manduchi & S. Kurniawan (Eds). Assistive Technology for Blindness and Low Vision (pp. 162-191). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

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Establishing and maintaining orientation for mobility

eblackwood — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:00:49 +0000

Citation: Long, R.G.*, & Giudice, N.A.* (2010). Establishing and maintaining orientation for mobility. In B.B. Blasch, W.R. Wiener, & R.W. Welsh (Eds.), Foundations of Orientation and Mobility (3rd Edition, Vol. 1: History and Theory, PP. 45-62). New York: American Foundation for the Blind. (* equal contribution of authors)

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Blind navigation and the role of technology

eblackwood — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:00:03 +0000

Citation: Giudice, N.A., & Legge, G.E. (2008). Blind navigation and the role of technology. In A. Helal, M. Mokhtari & B. Abdulrazak (Eds.), Engineering handbook of smart technology for aging, disability, and independence (pp. 479-500): John Wiley & Sons.

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