Interactive tactile plans for visually impaired older adults

An interactive 3D model of the building which allows visually impaired older adults to explore the exterior of the building as well as the interior is being developed at the Department of Computer Graphics and Interaction at the CTU FEE. This thesis proposes the design of interactive tactile plans for this model tailored specifically for older adults with vision impairment. We followed the User-Centered Design methodology, and based on a comprehensive analysis of the target audience and domain, we created two generations of prototypes of the user interface. The interaction is based on tactile symbols, interactive tactile symbols, and touch-sensitive spots. We introduce route-guidance functionality, which helps users to get better spatial orientation. Qualitative evaluation with the target user audience (N=19, mean age of participants was 85.1 years) was employed for each prototype. The results indicate the ability of our concept to create cognitive maps of the indoor environment.