Robot-assisted shopping for the blind: issues in spatial cognition and product selection

Robot-Assisted Shopping for the Blind: Haptic and Locomotor Spaces in Supermarkets

Introduction Research on spatial cognition and navigation of the visually impaired distinguishes two spatial categories: locomotor and haptic (Ungar 2000). The haptic space is defined as the immediate space around the individual that can be sensed by touch or limb motion without any bodily translation. The locomotor space is defined as a space whose exploration requires locomotion. In the absen...

A new approach for Robot selection in manufacturing using the ellipsoid algorithm

The choice of suitable robots in manufacturing, to improve product quality and to increase productivity, is a complicated decision due to the increase in robot manufacturers and configurations. In this article, a novel approach is proposed to choose among alternatives, differently assessed by decision makers on different criteria, to make the final evaluation for decision-making. The approach i...

Robots as Haptic and Locomotor Interfaces for the Blind

To ensure independence, an assistive shopping device must provide the blind shopper with interfaces to the supermarket’s haptic and locomotor spaces. In the absence of vision, the egocentric and allocentric frames are known to align best in the haptic space. Robots can function as interfaces to the haptic and locomotor spaces to the extent that they can eliminate the need of frame alignment in ...

User Intent Communication in Robot-Assisted Shopping for the Blind

O-19: Challenges of Donor Selection: The Experiences of Iranian Infertile Couples Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Donation Procedures

Background: Couples seeking assisted reproductive donation procedures are faced with complex challenges throughout their treatment which can have important psychological impacts on their life. Selecting a suitable donor is one of the hardest decisions they will ever make. This study was carried out to provide an in-depth description of the experiences of couples in relation to donor selection. ...