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Thesis

French

ID: <

10670/1.k2mp6i

>

Where these data come from
Design and evaluation of non-visual interaction techniques based on a personal device : application to the exploration of digital maps by people with visual impairment

Abstract

For visually impaired people, raised-line documents are important for access to knowledge. In order to respond to the specificities of haptic perception, it is necessary to simplify the amount of information available within a raised-line document. This process is called the adaptation of the content and relies on the intervention of a specialist who knows how to design content adapted to tactile exploration. As the modification is impossible, it must be printed again at each changes. Thus, the ability to use and explore digital rather than physical content is an interesting alternative. A large number of free access numerical data is available, and the adaptation of the data can be carried out by means of algorithms provided for this purpose. However, digital documents are essentially visual, and therefore inaccessible to visually impaired people as they are. The state of the art regarding haptic exploration of digital data reveals a set of solutions based on an devices (like a force feedback mouse). This approach has many limitations, including browsing the document with a single point of contact. A more functional approach is to let the user explore a digital graph with his hands: each finger can then be considered as a cursor. Feedback audio and vibration are triggered depending on the position of the finger on the digital document. However, it is necessary to know the important elements of a graph (the elements that will trigger feedback), as well as the role of each finger during the exploration. The problematic of this thesis deals with the exploration of digital spatial data by relying on haptic interactions. The goal is twofold: 1) understand how visually impaired people explore raised-line diagrams; and 2) offer haptic interaction techniques, based on personal and wearable devices, that allow visually impaired users to explore digital diagrams in different contexts (at home or at school, for example). To answer the first point, we conducted two studies on the exploration strategies of raised-line documents, according to the level of expertise of the users. We have shown that the strategies used depend on the expertise but also the type of document explored. To answer the second point, we proposed new interaction techniques based on the use of a smartwatch that allows localized feedback. We conducted two experimental studies regarding the design and evaluation of watch-based haptic interaction techniques. The first study focused on comparing the exploration of physical diagrams with that of virtual digital diagrams The results show that two of our interaction techniques allow for faster digital graphics exploration than the exploration of 3D graphics. Our second study aimed to develop and evaluate interaction techniques allowing the use of two hands while exploring digital content. The results show that bimanual strategies based on localized feedback improve digital diagrams exploration performance. The results of these studies highlight the benefits of bimanual haptic interaction. Combined with a device for tracking and tracking hands, interaction techniques developed on a connected watch could enable users to interact with digital content in many situations of everyday life.

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