On Presenting Audio-Tactile Maps to Visually Impaired Users for Getting Directions

Recent years have witnessed significant efforts on developing computer-based technologies for making maps accessible to people who are blind. Existing work has largely focused on the technological aspects of the problem without adequate attention to the humancomputer interaction issues. Using an audio-tactile system as the platform, we present a focused study on such HCI issues for supporting a blind user’s effective navigation of a map in getting directions. The ultimate goal of the research is to establish comprehensive design guidelines for building technologies that truly serve the needs of the users in the application of accessible maps. The results of our current study suggest that the proposed designs are effective for supporting a blind user in obtaining directions from online maps.