Computer aided mental-map generating system for the blind people - computer helpspeople to image maps by somesthetic and auditory sense

摘要

In general, when walking by himself, blind people walk by the help of guide sticks to explore obstacles, imaging mental maps in their minds. But they feel great uneasiness and insecure in walking unless they can make up mental maps. This paper presents a result of basic research on a computer aided mental-map generating system for the blind people. Concretely, it is assumed that a map is shown on a touch panel display. A subject actively instructs a computer the location via a touch panel display interface, the area around which he wants to know of. Then, based on the instructed location, the computer returns the subject some pieces of information corresponding to the area with speech sounds using a stereo speaker or a stereo headphone. It is expected that this computer aided system helps blind people walk outside without someone else's assistance.