Spatial Cognition of Visually Handicapped People on a Spiral Ramp

摘要

Spatial cognition of visually handicapped people has been clarified and their walking environment has improved. However, the present condition of pedestrian spaces still causes difficulty for visually handicapped people. A good example is a spiral ramp. Therefore, we surveyed the spatial cognition of visually handicapped people on a spiral ramp. In this study, to clarify the characteristics of spatial cognition and search behavior, experiments were performed using 14 different courses on a spiral ramp. Subjects were visually handicapped people and blindfolded people with ordinary vision, who were used as controls. The search behavior of the two groups is compared and analyzed by interview and observation using a walking locus and observation, and spatial cognition. The results are as follows: 1.tThe larger the difference in the visually handicapped people's laps, the larger the difference in their direction tends to be. Lap cognition was also easier than that of the direction. 2.tVisually handicapped people use noise of cars, their walking distance and also sunshine and wind direction as clues to spatial and directional cognition. 3.tThe subjects' walking courses were classified into 5 types. There are reasons for each walking course, and because visually handicapped people tend to walk outside on a ramp, we designed the spiral ramp to provide visually handicapped people with clues for cognition of laps and direction when they walk outside on the ramp.