Tactile Display

We have developed a support system that enables individuals with visual
impairments to recognize three-dimensional objects or environments
interactively. This is a total system and has input, processing, and output
functions. A stereo camera system used as an input device allows 3D visual
information to be acquired. This visual information is converted into tactile
and auditory information that can be easily understood by the visually
impaired. One of the output devices we have developed is an interactive 3D
tactile display which presents visual patterns using tactile pins. The pin
height can be set to several levels to increase the tactile information and
represent the 3D surface shape. The major difference in our tactile display
is the digitizer function. It is possible for the user to communicate with
this system. It will help them to recognize 3D objects and environments by
themselves. Hardware experiments on the tactile display and system interface
were conducted with the assistance of visually impaired individuals. We
report on the results and evaluation of our experiments.  

The tactile display has 16x16 pins. The pin height is variable from 0 to 6
mm. Each pin functions as a switch so you can use it as an input device. 

Keywords: Visual impairments, Three-dimensional object recognition, Stereo
vision, Tactile display, Interactive interface, Tactile and auditory sense

http://www.aist.go.jp/ETL/%7E7431/hyoka-e97.html

Y. Kawai, F. Tomita: A support system for the visually impaired to recognize
three-dimensional objects, IOS Press, Technology and Disability, 12, 1,
pp.13-20, 2000.

IOS Press, Technology and Disability:
http://www.iospress.nl/site/html/10554181.html

Yoshihiro Kawai
kawai@etl.go.jp
+81 298 54 5951
http://www.etl.go.jp/~kawai/ 
Computer Vision Group
Intelligent Systems Division
Electrotechnical Laboratory (ETL)
Japan

