Electrotactile vision substitution for 3D trajectory following
This addresses navigation challenges for blind individuals, but it appears incremental as it builds on existing guidance techniques in vision substitution.
The study tackled 3D trajectory following for blind persons by developing a vision substitution approach using electrotactile stimulation via a Tongue Display Unit, with preliminary results showing a close correlation between stimulated and recorded trajectories.
Navigation for blind persons represents a challenge for researchers in vision substitution. In this field, one of the used techniques to navigate is guidance. In this study, we develop a new approach for 3D trajectory following in which the requested task is to track a light path using computer input devices (keyboard and mouse) or a rigid body handled in front of a stereoscopic camera. The light path is visualized either on direct vision or by way of a electro-stimulation device, the Tongue Display Unit, a 12x12 matrix of electrodes. We improve our method by a series of experiments in which the effect of the modality of perception and that of the input device. Preliminary results indicated a close correlation between the stimulated and recorded trajectories.