Affiliations: Collaborative Robotics and Intelligent Systems (CoRIS) Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Naomi T. Fitter, Collaborative Robotics and Intelligent Systems (CoRIS) Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. Tel.: +1 541 737 9193; Fax: +1 541 737 1805; E-mail: fittern@oregonstate.edu.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Vision impairments affect the ability to navigate environments and gain spatial perception of one’s surroundings. Existing navigation aids typically provide close-range information, but not feedback on farther distances (i.e., beyond 5 m from the user). OBJECTIVE: To address this gap, the OptiBand, a custom assistive device, was previously designed with a stakeholder who is blind. The OptiBand uses Lidar sensing and haptic feedback to relay information on objects up to 15 m away. In this paper, we sought to evaluate the efficacy of the OptiBand with an in situ user study. METHODS:N= 9 participants (eight blind and one low-vision) used the OptiBand for a period of three months. Users periodically rated spatial perception workload and trust of their assistive navigation aids (at first as a baseline without the OptiBand, and then with the OptiBand). RESULTS: The OptiBand tended to yield lower workload requirements and similar trust levels compared to existing navigation aids. Interview data demonstrated the usefulness of the OptiBand in selected day-to-day tasks such as navigating outdoors and maintaining appropriate interpersonal spacing. CONCLUSIONS: This work provides evidence on benefits of and potential uses of assistive navigation aids like the OptiBand. Researchers interested in similar devices can benefit from our efforts.
Keywords: Haptic navigation aids, spatial perception, in situ user studies
