Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Experiences finding way around new areas, methods for learning? (self.Blind)
submitted by SchmittFace
Firstly I apologize if you've been asked these sort of questions a million times, probably from the same demographic of us well-wishing but hopelessly incessant design & engineers...
I've gotten some first-hand information from a handful of partially-sighted people in my local community but figured opening the discussion to the online community would be useful!
Without spending the entire character-limit explaining the idea, I'm a product-design-student working on a project that's essentially leveraging Google Map's vast amount of data and using it to communicate local area information, and friends locations through haptic feedback.
Since there's about 4 million projects working on projects to help people visualize what's happening right in front of them, **I'm curious as to people's experiences in navigating both new and familiar environments on a wider scale: street names, where shops are, etc.**
I'm noticing from the people I've talked to that things like Siri are becoming quite useful when it comes to finding their way around (despite a bit of a love-hate relationship with it), but a lot of the people I've spoken to also note that they know (typically older) people that wouldn't be comfortable using it, and then it's more of a 'git-gud and learn the area' methodology.
The idea isn't just for the visually-impaired, rather it's designed to allow anyone to, with a little practice, have a detailed account of their local area, new or familiar, instantaneously through feel (think of it like that Compass from Pirates of the Caribbean that points to whatever you want most, but its not a compass and instead it points to the local supermarket, coffee house, or a specific set of directions you're after!);
I just want to make sure it works specifically well for this community since it'd be a missed opportunity where I could build something potentially useful.
(currently the main technical issue is interface, most designs I've seen try to communicate an insane amount of data at once, which is more disorientating than anything; so I'm taking care to avoid that by choosing what data is transmitted at any given moment carefully)
But any experiences, thoughts and further points to research would be appreciated!
Cheers!
I've gotten some first-hand information from a handful of partially-sighted people in my local community but figured opening the discussion to the online community would be useful!
Without spending the entire character-limit explaining the idea, I'm a product-design-student working on a project that's essentially leveraging Google Map's vast amount of data and using it to communicate local area information, and friends locations through haptic feedback.
Since there's about 4 million projects working on projects to help people visualize what's happening right in front of them, **I'm curious as to people's experiences in navigating both new and familiar environments on a wider scale: street names, where shops are, etc.**
I'm noticing from the people I've talked to that things like Siri are becoming quite useful when it comes to finding their way around (despite a bit of a love-hate relationship with it), but a lot of the people I've spoken to also note that they know (typically older) people that wouldn't be comfortable using it, and then it's more of a 'git-gud and learn the area' methodology.
The idea isn't just for the visually-impaired, rather it's designed to allow anyone to, with a little practice, have a detailed account of their local area, new or familiar, instantaneously through feel (think of it like that Compass from Pirates of the Caribbean that points to whatever you want most, but its not a compass and instead it points to the local supermarket, coffee house, or a specific set of directions you're after!);
I just want to make sure it works specifically well for this community since it'd be a missed opportunity where I could build something potentially useful.
(currently the main technical issue is interface, most designs I've seen try to communicate an insane amount of data at once, which is more disorientating than anything; so I'm taking care to avoid that by choosing what data is transmitted at any given moment carefully)
But any experiences, thoughts and further points to research would be appreciated!
Cheers!
Amonwilde 3 points 5y ago
I'd use that. BlindSquare and another app that I'm not remembering do something similar, but they could be more accurate. Just make sure to research what's out there first before you dive in.
SchmittFace [OP] 1 points 5y ago
That's really interesting! $1, it used stereo audio to create a '3D soundscape' that would give cues in the direction of items of interest, which is cool but I think it still a little too unfriendly to use daily.
I'm think my aim is to develop something that's a little less 'in your face'; that can do custom directions but also consistently relay a range of local information without 'shouting' it through your ears every five seconds...
Many thanks
I'm think my aim is to develop something that's a little less 'in your face'; that can do custom directions but also consistently relay a range of local information without 'shouting' it through your ears every five seconds...
Many thanks
estj136 2 points 5y ago
Well this is a very interesting project, but I’d say that gps is GPS and can only be as accurate as it is. Nothing you can do. GPS is always said to be a few hundred feet off, which isn’t bad. That’s what I want down to the door sign. I can get to my destination about a few hundred or even a hundred feet away, but it still remains if I do not know the area the question, is where is the shop? This is a general problem with GPS. I tell people well I can’t see door signs. I generally just get help.
SchmittFace [OP] 1 points 5y ago
A very good point, GPS alone tends to be a little unreliable and works poorly indoors, which is normally why it's combined with WiFi to give a more accurate location.
For this sort of project, the form-factor would want to be very small in order to be portable; combined with the data you'd need and pairing to a smart-phone seems pretty vital with current 2018 technology, then pushing the phone's data to the device.
Does push a fair few people out of the market which I hate, but does create a benefit of having a location accuracy of 1 to 5 meters easily through the phone (rumours are circulating that they can get it to with 1ft by next year), even indoors.
It'd be a one-time setup to minimize the amount of interaction with the phone.
Maybe in the future that wouldn't be needed, but the live map data requires WiFi or data, and location needs both WiFi & GPS; a smartphone has all of those and then some, so using it seems sensible for now.
Thanks!
For this sort of project, the form-factor would want to be very small in order to be portable; combined with the data you'd need and pairing to a smart-phone seems pretty vital with current 2018 technology, then pushing the phone's data to the device.
Does push a fair few people out of the market which I hate, but does create a benefit of having a location accuracy of 1 to 5 meters easily through the phone (rumours are circulating that they can get it to with 1ft by next year), even indoors.
It'd be a one-time setup to minimize the amount of interaction with the phone.
Maybe in the future that wouldn't be needed, but the live map data requires WiFi or data, and location needs both WiFi & GPS; a smartphone has all of those and then some, so using it seems sensible for now.
Thanks!
bradley22 2 points 5y ago
I'd check it out. As another poster said, make sure to research what's out there. After all, you want to make something brand new, not something that's been done hundreds of times before. I tend to ask peple if they know where, name of place, is and go from there. I am not a fan of the As The Crow Flys method but as far as I know for GPS that's the only way forward for now.
SchmittFace [OP] 1 points 5y ago
I must say I agree, having a beeline to a place can be a little unnatural, but I suppose with what's available it might have to do for now..
So far most of the similar designs I've researched seem to either try and give too much information through audio, or only the most basic of help through little vibration nudges to keep someone on track to a destination.
I think the aim with this is to only have that level of 'corridor-ing' when the user has a specific destination, but outside that also keep a more passive haptic awareness of the local area, so if the user felt like a bit of an explore it's easy to do so!
cheers!
So far most of the similar designs I've researched seem to either try and give too much information through audio, or only the most basic of help through little vibration nudges to keep someone on track to a destination.
I think the aim with this is to only have that level of 'corridor-ing' when the user has a specific destination, but outside that also keep a more passive haptic awareness of the local area, so if the user felt like a bit of an explore it's easy to do so!
cheers!
bradley22 2 points 5y ago
Good luck and if your device/app comes out and it's a resonable cost, i'll be more than willing to try it.
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