SBIR Phase I: A Dynamic Tactile Display for Visually Impaired Computer Users

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在开发一种创新技术，为盲人和视障人士彻底改变计算机访问方式。该设备提供了一个可触摸的显示器，用户可以触摸到窗口、面板、按钮、菜单项等，与视力正常的windows用户一样快速和随机访问。新方法使用了一种有效但成本非常低的技术来与手指的触觉感受器相互作用，避免了先前用于描绘类似触觉图像的机械致动器阵列的高成本和复杂性。因此，它有望以显著降低的成本提供全球随机存取计算机接口技术的好处。在第一阶段，将构建一个原型动态触觉显示设备，并在PC上与基于windows的可访问性软件进行接口。与亚利桑那盲人和视障中心（ACBVI）合作，将探索几种触觉显示特性的替代方案。ACBVI的盲人志愿者将接受使用该设备的培训。将测量他们使用设备的客观性能标准，并收集定量和定性的用户反馈，以确定整体用户可行性。这项拟议活动的主要社会效益是为视障群体提供更普遍的电脑和互联网技术，而视障群体在使用电脑的专业和社会群体中往往代表性不足。除了使用这种低成本的触觉界面作为辅助设备外，它可能在控制，虚拟现实和通信方面有许多应用。这项技术可能会使触觉界面的应用范围比目前解决的范围更广。随着人机交互、触觉界面方法和用户界面设计的进步，可以预期更多衍生产品和研究的重大机会。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to develop an innovative technology to revolutionize computer access for blind and visually impaired individuals. The device provides a touchable display with which the user can feel the windows, panels, buttons, menu items, etc., with much the same rapidity and random access available to the sighted Windows user. The new approach uses an effective but very low cost technique for interacting with the touch receptors of the fingers, avoiding the high cost and complexity associated with mechanical actuator arrays previously used to depict similar tactile images. Thus, it promises to provide the benefits of global, random access computer interface technology at dramatically reduced cost. In Phase I, a prototype Dynamic Tactile Display device will be constructed and interfaced with Windows-based accessibility software on the PC. Several alternatives for tactile display characteristics will be explored, in collaboration with the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ACBVI). Volunteer blind participants at ACBVI will be trained on the use of the device. Objective performance criteria on their use of the device will be measured, and quantitative and qualitative user feedback will be gathered to determine overall user feasibility.The primary societal benefit of the proposed activity is to provide more universal access to computer and Internet technology to the visually impaired community, often underrepresented in professional and social groups using computers. In addition to the use of this low-cost tactile interface as an assistive device, it may have many applications in control, virtual reality, and communications. The technology may enable inroads for haptic interfaces for a much wider range of applications than are currently addressed. As advances in human/computer interactions, haptic interface methodology, and user interface design occur, major opportunities for additional spin-off products and research can be expected.