Study on Way-Finding Process and its Environment for the Mentally Retarded and the Elderly with Dementia

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The object of this study is to evaluate way-finding process and architectural considerations for persons with perceptional disorder such as the mentally retarded and the elderly with dementia, through two experimental methods.One is way-finding experiment with observational method in different types of walking settings, such as linear corridors, T-shape corridors, stair cases and so on.The other one is to analyze eye fixation behavior on visual stimuli represented walking environment.As a result of way-finding experiment, persons with severely disorders have much difficulties in any settings, while persons with moderate disorders' have some difficulties at intersections and much difficulties to manipulate an elevator. For the persons with moderate disorders, repeated and redundant cues are essential to help way-finding.As a result of eye fixation experiment, eye movements in the elderly with dementia are less active. And the range of eye points and scan paths in the mentally retarded is rather extended and eye fixations are scattered, while the range in the elderly with dementia is significantly limited and biased toward the center of presenting figures. However, we infer that the level of perception in the both groups can be raised to some extent by emphasized visual stimuli such as clear contrast, moving and flashing.