Virtual Reality (VR) applications have been developed for physical rehabilitation, education, healthcare and other domains; the beneficiaries of VR technology include children, the elderly, and persons with physical and mobility impairments. Platforms for the safe training of personnel in diverse occupations such as aircraft pilots or operators of conveyer belts in mines are an area where the contributions of the technology are especially important. Unfortunately, however, the majority of VR research to date has been based on visual feedback, thereby excluding persons with visual impairments from enjoying the potential benefits of the technology. The PI's goal in this project is to establish a research program that will ultimately overcome this shortcoming by developing techniques that allow persons with visual impairments to use 3D audio for perception and movement in VR, and by providing designers with inclusive guidelines for future systems. Project outcomes will not only benefit users with visual impairments; rather, they will also be useful to people without visual impairments for whom the VR user experience will be enhanced. This project will afford undergraduate student research opportunities at the PI's institution, and will provide trainees at Atlanta's Center for the Visually Impaired which is located close to the PI's campus with new safe-practice opportunities.
The research will be carried out in three phases. In Phase 1 the PI will investigate to what extent persons who are visually impaired can accurately estimate the depth of, and direction of, sound sources. In Phase 2 he will explore the design of interfaces and compare alternative audio-based techniques for navigation in virtual environments, with a particular focus on determining key factors that affect user self-confidence for members of the target population. Finally, in Phase 3 the PI will develop and evaluate a virtual training environment for persons with visual impairments. Each phase of the work will be conducted in collaboration with the Center for the Visually Impaired, both with respect to study design and data analysis.
