Access to Artworks and Its Mediation by and for Visually Impaired Persons Introduction to the Special Thematic Session

摘要

Many artworks such as paintings or sculptures are accessible mainly through vision; visually impaired people therefore cannot benefit from the beauty, emotion or information inspired by these objects. Some trials at tactile presentation of artworks exist in research laboratories and some museums. In research laboratories such approaches are related to several synergetic components such as through the design of new multi-touch stimulation devices, the models of percepts' emergence from perceptions (stimulation), object simplification with "conservation of meaning", multimodal data fusion, etc. Museums are not only interested in multimodal (audio-tactile) presentations of artworks, but also in the physical accessibility of exhibition halls and self-guidance through collections. Specific wearable technologies and specific adaptable guides are necessary.