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Foundations and recommendations for research in access technology
Published in John Ravenscroft, The Routledge Handbook of Visual Impairment, 2019
Some of the biggest differences between visual and nonvisual access is the ease of previewing an overview of data including spatial relationships. Although scientific notations can be described or converted into a digital format for reading with a screen reader or refreshable braille display, the auditory format conveys information in a purely linear fashion that cannot adequately convey how equations might be laid out spatially (Alajarmeh, Pontelli and Son, 2011; Bouck and Meyer, 2012; Noble et al., 2018). Instead, information is only accessible as it is read aloud or shown on a traditional refreshable braille display that displays a single line at a time. Emerging technologies are showing great promise, however; sonification resolves the problem of linearity by providing an auditory landscape of how data are laid out (Belardinelli et al., 2009; Brown et al., 2003; Walker and Mauney, 2010), which is supplemented by a drill-down approach that describes specific data points. Multi-line refreshable braille and tactile graphics displays are highly desirable in order to present dynamic spatial layouts that refresh as data refreshes, with early prototypes on the horizon.
Assistive technology for visual impairment and trainers at schools for the blind in Delhi
Published in Assistive Technology, 2022
Suraj Singh Senjam, Allen Foster, Covadonga Bascaran
Research in disciplines like computer science, communications engineering and mechanical engineering has led to development of innovative ATVI to improve functioning and quality of life for people living with visual loss (Bhowmick & Hazarika, 2017). Smartphone and tablets are widely available in low middle-income countries and can provide a range of applications including magnification, contrast enhancement, optical character recognition, text to synthetic voice output and even navigation assistance tools (Hakobyan et al., 2013). Such user-friendly digital technologies are quickly replacing the traditional low vision aids for individuals’ routine tasks like object identification, navigation, listening to audiobooks reading e-books, etc., in today’s society (Martiniello et al., 2019). Reading and writing for blind children can be enhanced using automated Braille learning technology, Refreshable Braille Display (Braille e-book) (Sutariya et al., 2018), and FingerReader (Bicz & Bicz, 2016)- a small finger-worn device which enables blind users to read printed texts. The automated Braille tutor is designed to teach Braille skills to children with visual loss using voice feedback (Dias et al., 2009). There is also technology to assist blind people with mobility; a smart cane, smart glasses or Artificial Intelligence lenses for the blind and audio-based cane integrated with ultrasonic sensor can detect an obstacle and inform the user (Hu et al., 2019; Khan et al., 2018). A hand-free mobility tool-wearable cane with software application system has successfully been developed and tested with a positive results among pre-school children (Ambrose-Zaken et al., 2019). Such innovative advancements in the ATVI offer a new perspective in terms of educational training, improvement of daily living tasks and also quality of life for people with visual impairment. A programmatic tactile display for geometric and spatial skills (Leo et al., 2017), audio-based mathematical Learning ATs, and MathTalk applications are also available which can help visually impaired students (Akpan & Beard, 2014; Daroni et al., 2018). Using such new technologies will facilitate students with a visual loss in learning mathematical concepts.
Awareness and barriers to adoption of assistive technologies among visually impaired people in Nigeria
Published in Assistive Technology, 2019
Patrick Emeka Okonji, Darlinton Chukwunalu Ogwezzy
Another argument explaining the low uptake of assistive technologies (ATs) by visually impaired people is the pace of technological innovation. Hillen, Barker, Lawrence, and Gagliano (2012) contend that a typical characteristic of computer assistive device designed for visually impaired people is that the narrowing of one technological gap is often quickly followed by the emergence of another gap. In other words, the replacement of old technologies by new ones is usually too rapid, thus leaving assistive technologies to play catch-up. Castells (2001) argues that advancements in mainstream computing doubles every 18 months while cost hardly changes, but that this is not necessarily the same for ATs used by BVI people because assistive devices often struggle to keep pace with technology used by people without disabilities. These arguments suggest that the time lag between the emergence of new technology and the availability of assistive devices that make them accessible for the BVI user is often too slow and that such problem does not encourage uptake. Cost of the technology and ICT services is another problem affecting access to ICT tools. Although the cost of living and earnings in developing countries are one-tenth in comparison to the developed countries, IT tools cost less in developed countries than what they cost in developing countries (Raja, 2016). For purposes of comparison, the price for a 20-cell refreshable braille display ranges from $2,000 to $ 3,000 in United States (Jordan, Als, Walcott, & Sargeant, 2013; Walker & Sangelkar, 2017), whereas Nigerians have to spend the equivalent of $5,000 for the same device. The exorbitant cost of ACTs in Nigeria is due to inflation and import restrictions which invariably make it difficult for people who are blind or partially sighted to afford ACTs. In addition, the costs of assistive technologies are sometimes subsidized by government or other funding agencies in developed countries. For example, the Assistive Technology Fund from the Ministry of Community Development and Sports in Singapore subsidizes the cost of ATs for disabled persons (Jordan et al., 2013). In Nigeria, however, the problem of affordability or cost of ATs is further compounded by the lack of funding or subsidy for such technologies.