Accelerometer & spatial audio technology: Making touch-screen mobile devices accessible

Flaithri Neff, Tracey J. Mehigan, Ian Pitt

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

As mobile-phone design moves toward a touch-screen form factor, the visually disabled are faced with new accessibility challenges. The mainstream interaction model for touch-screen devices relies on the user having the ability to see spatially arranged visual icons, and to interface with these icons via a smooth glass screen. An inherent challenge for blind users with this type of interface is its lack of tactile feedback. In this paper we explore the concept of using a combination of spatial audio and accelerometer technology to enable blind users to effectively operate a touch-screen device. We discuss the challenges involved in representing icons using sound and we introduce a design framework that is helping us tease out some of these issues. We also outline a set of proposed user-studies that will test the effectiveness of our design using a Nokia N97. The results of these studies will be presented at ICCHP 2010.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationComputers Helping People with Special Needs - 12th International Conference, ICCHP 2010, Proceedings
Pages170-177
Number of pages8
EditionPART 1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2010
Event12th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs, ICCHP 2010 - Vienna, Austria
Duration: 14 Jul 201016 Jul 2010

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
NumberPART 1
Volume6179 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

Conference12th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs, ICCHP 2010
Country/TerritoryAustria
CityVienna
Period14/07/1016/07/10

Keywords

  • Accelerometers
  • Mobile devices
  • Spatial Audio
  • Vision impaired

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