An investigation into the effectiveness of using acoustic touch to assist people who are blind.

Zhu, HY; Hossain, SN; Jin, C; Singh, AK; Nguyen, MTD; Deverell, L; Nguyen, V; Gates, FS; Fernandez, IG; Melencio, MV; Bell, J-AR; Lin, C-T

An investigation into the effectiveness of using acoustic touch to assist people who are blind.

Zhu, HY Hossain, SN Jin, C Singh, AK Nguyen, MTD Deverell, L Nguyen, V

Gates, FS Fernandez, IG Melencio, MV Bell, J-AR Lin, C-T

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Publisher:: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: PLoS One, 2023, 18, (10), pp. e0290431
Issue Date:: 2023

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Zhu, HY
dc.contributor.author	Hossain, SN
dc.contributor.author	Jin, C
dc.contributor.author	Singh, AK
dc.contributor.author	Nguyen, MTD
dc.contributor.author	Deverell, L
dc.contributor.author	Nguyen, V https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3744-1523
dc.contributor.author	Gates, FS
dc.contributor.author	Fernandez, IG
dc.contributor.author	Melencio, MV
dc.contributor.author	Bell, J-AR
dc.contributor.author	Lin, C-T
dc.contributor.editor	Khan, IA
dc.date.accessioned	2023-11-07T02:55:09Z
dc.date.available	2023-08-09
dc.date.available	2023-11-07T02:55:09Z
dc.date.issued	2023
dc.identifier.citation	PLoS One, 2023, 18, (10), pp. e0290431
dc.identifier.issn	1932-6203
dc.identifier.issn	1932-6203
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/173155
dc.description.abstract	Wearable smart glasses are an emerging technology gaining popularity in the assistive technologies industry. Smart glasses aids typically leverage computer vision and other sensory information to translate the wearer's surrounding into computer-synthesized speech. In this work, we explored the potential of a new technique known as "acoustic touch" to provide a wearable spatial audio solution for assisting people who are blind in finding objects. In contrast to traditional systems, this technique uses smart glasses to sonify objects into distinct sound auditory icons when the object enters the device's field of view. We developed a wearable Foveated Audio Device to study the efficacy and usability of using acoustic touch to search, memorize, and reach items. Our evaluation study involved 14 participants, 7 blind or low-visioned and 7 blindfolded sighted (as a control group) participants. We compared the wearable device to two idealized conditions, a verbal clock face description and a sequential audio presentation through external speakers. We found that the wearable device can effectively aid the recognition and reaching of an object. We also observed that the device does not significantly increase the user's cognitive workload. These promising results suggest that acoustic touch can provide a wearable and effective method of sensory augmentation.
dc.format	Electronic-eCollection
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Public Library of Science (PLoS)
dc.relation.ispartof	PLoS One
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1371/journal.pone.0290431
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	General Science & Technology
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Acoustics
dc.subject.mesh	Blindness
dc.subject.mesh	Speech
dc.subject.mesh	Touch Perception
dc.subject.mesh	Vision, Ocular
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Acoustics
dc.subject.mesh	Blindness
dc.subject.mesh	Speech
dc.subject.mesh	Touch Perception
dc.subject.mesh	Vision, Ocular
dc.title	An investigation into the effectiveness of using acoustic touch to assist people who are blind.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	18
utslib.location.activity	United States
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - AAII - Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Computer Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Graduate School of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Graduate School of Health/GSH.Orthoptics
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2023-11-07T02:55:07Z
pubs.issue	10
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	18
utslib.citation.issue	10

Abstract:

Wearable smart glasses are an emerging technology gaining popularity in the assistive technologies industry. Smart glasses aids typically leverage computer vision and other sensory information to translate the wearer's surrounding into computer-synthesized speech. In this work, we explored the potential of a new technique known as "acoustic touch" to provide a wearable spatial audio solution for assisting people who are blind in finding objects. In contrast to traditional systems, this technique uses smart glasses to sonify objects into distinct sound auditory icons when the object enters the device's field of view. We developed a wearable Foveated Audio Device to study the efficacy and usability of using acoustic touch to search, memorize, and reach items. Our evaluation study involved 14 participants, 7 blind or low-visioned and 7 blindfolded sighted (as a control group) participants. We compared the wearable device to two idealized conditions, a verbal clock face description and a sequential audio presentation through external speakers. We found that the wearable device can effectively aid the recognition and reaching of an object. We also observed that the device does not significantly increase the user's cognitive workload. These promising results suggest that acoustic touch can provide a wearable and effective method of sensory augmentation.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/173155