VISUAL GUIDANCE AND IMAGERY IN TACTUAL PERCEPTION AND BRAILLE

研究项目将评估视觉体验对 视力正常、晚期失明和先天失明的人的触觉知觉。 视觉意象和视觉空间参照系被认为是 对有视力和失明的人的触觉很重要。这项研究 在晚期盲人中的触觉知觉，一个高度熟练的人群， 也可能揭示触觉的潜力。它经常被认为是 假设缺乏视觉体验可能解释了较低的性能 在一些空间任务中先天失明的人。目光短浅的、早起的和 研究人员将在包括触觉在内的多项任务中对迟盲进行比较 图片、有形地图、触觉错觉和盲文识别。这个 对触觉地图的研究代表了一项重大的新举措。一系列新的 研究将调查神经科受试者的触觉 损害，尤指顶叶损害。 对视力和盲人触觉知觉的研究将集中在 提高触觉性能的方法。实验将会 强调最佳触碰位置的研究，视觉引导， 侧向效应和注意因素。建议进行一项关于 光照水平对触觉注意的影响。其他实验 将考察记忆和保持对触觉空间的影响 认知，因为视觉通道可能在回忆中提供优势。这个 研究对低血压患者的康复具有重要意义 视觉和那些有光感的人。对触觉地图的研究是 对改善盲人的行动能力很重要。

The research program will assess the influence of visual experience on tactile perception in sighted, late blind, and congenitally blind people. Visual imagery and visual spatial frames of reference are thought to be important for tactual perception in sighted and blind people. The study of tactile perception in the late blind, a highly skilled population, also may reveal the potential of the sense of touch. It has often been assumed that the lack of visual experience may explain lower performance of the congenitally blind in some spatial tasks. The sighted, early, and late blind will be compared in a number of tasks, including tactile pictures, tangible maps, tactile illusions, and braille recognition. The study of tactile maps represents a major, new initiative. A new line of research will investigate haptic perception in subjects with neurological impairment, especially parietal lesions. Research on tactile perception in the sighted and blind will focus on methods for the improvement of tactile performance. Experiments will stress the investigation of optimal touching positions, visual guidance, laterality effects, and attentional factors. A study is proposed on the effect of illumination level on tactile attention. Other experiments will examine the influence of memory and retention on tactile spatial cognition, since the visual modality may offer advantages in recall. The research is of importance for the rehabilitation of people with low vision and those with light perception. The study of tactile maps is important for the improvement of mobility in the blind.