Comparing Performance and Preference of Visually Impaired Individuals in Object Localization: Tactile, Verbal, and Sonification Cueing Modalities

Audio guidance is a common means of helping visually impaired individuals to navigate, thereby increasing their independence. However, the differences between different modalities for locating objects in 3D space have yet be investigated. The aim this study was compare time, hand’s path length, and satisfaction levels using three automatic cueing modalities: pitch sonification, verbal, vibration. We recruited 30 (11 women, average age 39.6 ± 15.0), who were asked locate small cube, guided by one sonification (a continuous beep that increases frequency as hand approaches cube), verbal prompting (“right”, “forward”, etc.), vibration (via five motors, attached locations on hand). automatically activated computerized motion capture systems. subjects separately answered questions each modality. main finding time find cube longer (p = 0.016). There no significant length or subjects’ satisfaction. It can concluded may most effective guiding people with visual impairment an object space.