Multi–touch 2–D tactile human computer interface design and optimization for individuals with physical disabilities
Principal researcher
Name: Prof. Kenneth E. Barner
Project details
Start date: 2003
End date: 2006
Description: Development of techniques or technologies that provide access to computer-based graphical information, particularly from the areas of science, engineering and mathematics, for blind persons. The focus is the haptic display of scientific and mathematical data using a three degree-of-freedom haptic interface. This device allows the user to feel virtual objects with a fingertip. The current prototype system is capable of representing 2D and 3D data plots. Ongoing research is investigating different methods for rendering 2D plots that are intuitive and allow easy comprehension of the data. In the case of 3D data, plots are represented as polygon mesh surfaces. To aid in the understanding of the data, additional features are needed to give scale information and to aid in navigation. Examples currently being implemented include speech output of coordinates and grid planes (analogous to grid lines on a 2D visual graph). Additional data-dependent rendering methods are also being investigated.
Other organisations involved in this project
Funded by the National Science Foundation.
Last updated: 01/04/2008