“It gives me a deep comforting sense that “things seen are temporal and things unseen are eternal.” -Helen Keler
There are many individuals who contributed to the making of this project through their moral support, advice or participation. I am indebted to Ford Foundation for giving me an opportunity to pursue my ‘dream project’.
My sincere appreciation should also be extended to the Blind People’s Association, Ahmedabad, and the principals, teachers and students of this institute for their kind permission to carry out the research and their cooperation throughout the study. I would like to express my gratitude to Professor. Soni, Damji bhai, Pathan bhai and Kanchan ben for helping me in every possible way. I have also been fortunate to have the guidance of Professor S. Balaram, throughout my project. I would also like to thank Professor. Milindo Taid, Professor. Bibhudutta Baral, Professor. Sandhya Limaye(TISS), Archana Shrivastava (Handicap International), Dr. Sameer Mansuri, Dr. Suresh Majumdar, Ms.Vimal Thavani and Professor. Kavi for their valuable inputs which have helped me tremendously. I am grateful to NID for helping me become the person I am today, for its valuable resources, and its inspiring faculty. I would like thank Santosh for all his love and encouragement throughout the project. Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for being supportive in every way.
Acknowledgements
I am thankful to Professor. Shashank Mehta for his patience, careful supervision and encouragement throughout the project. I sincerely thank him for being the kind of supervisor every student needs- supportive, enthusiastic, and inspiring.
research (Phase-1)
user studies (phase-2)
Research Methodologies....1-2 Design Objectives....3
User Studies....37 Blindfolded Experience....38
Universal Design....4
Organisations Visited....39
Universal Design in India....5-6
Initial User Studies....40-45 Questionnaire 1....46
Function of an eye....7 Implications of Blindness....8 What is Visual Disability?....9 Categories of Visual Impairment....10 Major Causes of Visual Impairment....11 Explanation of various terms...12 Explanation of various terms as adopted by WHO....13
Experts Interviews....52-54 Questionnaire 2....55 User Studies 2....56-57 User Studies 2 Findings....58 User Interaction Studies....59-70
Demographic details of the visually disabled....15-17
Layout Study....71 Room of Experiences....76-77
Psychology of the visually disabled....18
Present scenario in India....78
Attitude towards the visually disabled....19 Haptic Perceptions of the visually disabled....20-26 Auditory Perceptions of the visually disabled....27 Mobility and Orientation....28 What is Mobility?....29 What is Orientation?....30 Accessible Technology....31 Assistive Devices for the visual Disabled....32 Mobility devices for the visually disabled....33-35 Way finding for the visually disabled....36
design (phase-3) Brainstoming....79 Structuring the Information....80 Ergonomic Studies....81-86 Analysis....87 Design Considerations....88 Design guidelines....89-93 Redefined brief....94 Layout....95 Detailing the layout....96 Detailing the concept....97-103 Scenario....104-107 Final Concept....108-116 Conclusion....117 Bibliography....118
Content
Types of visual impairments....14
User Studies 1....47-50 User Studies 1 Findings....51
All through these three Semesters at NID my projects have revolved around designing for the differently abled. As a part of the research I have been associated closely with the visually disabled people. I was genuinely curious of their different perceptual world.
Self portrait by an artist born blind
At the same time, Ford Foundation matching grants for digital inclusion at the National Institute of Design had opened up sponsorship possibilities for design research. I took this opportunity and presented a proposal for diploma project (as a part of the academic curriculum, each student is required to work on a 6 months diploma project). A committee of Ford Foundation members went through the proposal and after thorough discussion, accepted the project proposal.
Introduction
During my user studies I realized that, in India, the visually disabled people generally refrain from going out of known environments because of the inaccessibility of the public spaces. They prefer staying indoors. They limit their everyday journey to their school campus, college campus and places of work. This is the main reason I felt that I should take up this area of concern as my final diploma project.
It has four decades of distinguished service in design education, design training and design practice behind it. Today it is known for its wide variety of programmes offered in both under graduate and post graduate levels, the exacting standards of education and the high levels of professional competence of the graduates from this institution. Education at NID aims to create design professionals of excellence to help meet Indias design needs, and to train design trainers for other design and design-related institutions. Design at NID is very closely linked to the context of use and the user, the design method taught here is unique to this institution and has been perfected and refined over years of practice.
About the Institute
Internationally acclaimed as one of the foremost multi-disciplinary institutions in the field of design education and research, The National Institute of Design (NID) functions as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. NID is recognized by the department of scientific and industrial research (DSIR) under Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, as a scientific and industrial design research organization.
FORD FOUNDATION The Ford Foundation was chartered on January 15 th, 1936 by Edsel Ford and two Ford Motor Company executives “to receive and administer funds for scientific, educational and charitable purposes, all for the public welfare.
‘Microfinance‘ Grameen Bank
The Ford Foundation is a resource for innovative people and institutions worldwide. Their goals are to • Strengthen democratic values, • Reduce poverty and injustice, • Promote international cooperation and • Advance human achievement
Agricultural Development
The Ford Foundation has granted funds to NID for developing New Media and digital inclusion to benefit the society. Humanities and Arts Fellowship
Sponsor Profile
Today the foundation remains a national and international foundation with headquarters in New York City and offices in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Russia. The foundations trustees, drawn from the United States, Africa, Asia, and Latin America, bring experience in business, government and the civic sector. Grants and program-related investments support activities in the United States and approximately 50 other countries. To this day, the program areas of the foundation advance the goals outlined in the Gaither Committee report.
The primary reason to explore this direction is to avoid any kind of stigmatization of the special user groups, this initiative would make the users more comfortable, confident and thus encourage them to interact with the society, in the process participate more fully in their daily lives.
Project Brief
The issue of integrating ‘Universal features with modern technology and facilitate ‘barrier free environment is extremely crucial than ever before. One of the most perplexing issue designers have to address today is about achieving a sense of ethical balance between commercial activity and social responsibility. Can truly accessible public spaces be developed which address the needs of the disabled users, and facilitate their mobility? Can we effectively deliver solutions which have innate Universal Design features in them? Would such ideas be acceptable to the generic users? or even commercially viable?
Statement of Intent: Facilitating accessibility of public places for the Disabled Problem Area:
People with disability find very limited accessibility to public places like shopping malls, auditoriums, museums etc. These problems are common to sensory disabled, physically disability people. Some aids have been developed abroad but not made in the Indian context and it is too expensive for most of the people to afford.
What are the various problem areas when it comes to usability/mobility? How would I prioritize the problem? What are the present methodologies adapted to solve the problem? Would I need to make modifications to an existing system or develop an over all new system? How would new media technologies help in catering to solve the problem related to usability? How will it be used in the future and the future prospects? The aim was looking at the problem area holistically keeping the Indian context in mind, and prioritizing the problem and studying the present methodologies adapted to solve the problems, in India and abroad.
Project Proposal
What are the primary Research Questions?
Research Methodologies
1-2
Design Objectives
3
Universal Design
4
Universal Design in India
5-6
Function of an eye
7
Implications of Blindness
8
What is Visual Disability?
9
Categories of Visual Impairment
10
Major Causes of Visual Impairment
11
Explanation of various terms
12
Explanation of various terms as adopted by WHO
13
Types of visual impairments
14
DEMOGRAPHIC DETAILS OF THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED
15-17
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Phase- I
research
18
attitude towards the visually disabled
19
haptic perceptions of the visually disabled
20-26
auditory perceptions of the visually disabled
27
mobility and orientation
28
what is mobility?
29
what is orientation?
30
accessible technology
31
Assistive Devices for the Visual Disabled
32
mobility devices for the visually disabled
33-35
way finding for the visually disabled
36
pallavi kulkarni < diploma project > national institute of design
Phase- I
Psychology of the visually disabled
Research Methodologies This is a research based project with the focus on user study for the designing of the final concept. I have based my research framework on the writings of Frayling. He has identified three key modes of design research: Research into design This includes the traditional, historical and aesthetic studies of art and design. Research through Design This is project based and includes material research and development Research for Design This is a synoptic category, that incorporates the understanding of the people, form and process and then activates that knowledge as design. This is the hardest to characterize, as its purpose is to create objects and systems that display the results of the research. This flexible and ever expanding methodology of design research uses its own media to perform the investigations, expanding past the ideas of market surveys and charts. This is a rational practice, but it is one in which emotion is allowed its own power and intelligence- thus it has a braided modality of thinking and feeling. My project belongs to the third category of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;research for design. Research Objective: Understanding the need area among the identified user group (visually disabled individuals) to design for facilitating access to the public places.
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Ethnography Research method employed: Ethnography Ethnography involves the study of small group of people in their own environment. Instead of looking at a small set of variables among a large number of people. (the typical approach in survey research), this is aimed at getting a deep, detailed understanding of the life and circumstances of fewer people. Ethnography accounts are both descriptive and interpretive. They are descriptive because they are designed to capture as much as detail as possible, crucial to developing new ideas. And they are interpretive because researcher has to determine the significance of the detail in the relatively narrow scope the researcher/designer observes without necessarily gathering broad or statistical information. Research tools used in this project are quantitative in nature-both visual and verbal. This includes primary research: participant and passive observation, photography, artifacts, and material collection, oral histories, semi-structured interviews, group interviews, and, secondary research: archival and document collection.
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Design Objectives Since disability is a vast spectrum, we decided to focus the research on visually disabled individuals. - Investigate the needs of the visually disabled and certain segments of the less abled community and find their genuine needs and problems regarding accessibility of the public places. - Built a comprehensive understanding of their physiological, psychological and daily needs. - Based on the research findings, insights, and ideas develop a accessible space which caters to the needs of the differently abled individuals. Kanchan ben loves to make paper roses. She is visually impaired.
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Universal Design Appropriate size and space for approach and use Tolerance for error
Low physical effort
Perceptible information
Universal DESIGN
Simple and intuitive use
Equitable use
Flexibility in use
“Universal design seeks to encourage attractive, marketable products that are more usable by everyone. It is design for the built environment and consumer products for a very broad definition of user.” - Ron Mace
Universal Design is defined as the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest possible extent, without adaptation or specialized design. Ron Mace, creator of the term “universal design,” was an articulate architect and determined advocate who influenced international thinking about design. For most of his life he used a wheelchair and understood what it was to try to participate in a world that was not designed to include him.
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Universal Design in India
Today in many parts of the world, there are indications that universal design is going to stay. It may change its name but not the content. The presence of universal design, however, is not even. While in some countries it is strongly pulsating, in some other countries it hardly exists. In economically sharply divided world of ‘haves and ‘have-nots, the situation in the world of have-nots often goes unnoticed. But the world cannot go forward with a major part of its body missing. Indias situation maybe considered as similar to other have-not countries. The problem, perception, and therefore the possible solution of the “have-nots” world are different from the have world. The reason may be many: The influence of thousands of years of tradition, the colonial or other forms of dominance by foreign powers, economic insufficiency, pressures of the commercial world, and overpopulation are some of them.
Inaccessible streets in India.
Design is an activity that is based on the socioeconomic criteria, and that will, therefore naturally follow suit in being different in these countries. It is too simplistic to treat design as an isolated aesthetic activity existing outside the mainstream forces of economics, culture and society. Design in the economically developing world is beyond an activity that is concerned with formal qualities and superficial aspects aimed at boosting sales. It is a serious activity that is concerned with playing a key role in economic and social development of the people. Moreover centuries old tradition are bound to have a profound influence on peoples behavior and pattern of choice, which go beyond physical rationale.
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Universal Design in India
Universal design argues for the importance of the wholesomeness and importance of making, through design, the so called weak component in the society as strong as every other part. In the industrialized and relatively wealthy countries, this weakness is merely physical or sensory. It is concerned with peoples diminishing abilities, either temporary or permanent, such as impairment, retardation, advanced age, pregnancy and so on. In the non-industrialized majority world countries, the weakness is beyond physical disabilities. The weakness is essentially social construct, which severely inhibits the equal participation pf certain sections of the society in public and private life. The economic, social, and cultural realities of the non-industrialized countries affect universal design in three ways: - The prevalence of oppressing realities such as poverty, population pressures, illiteracy, and lack of infrastructure calls for the universal design solutions vastly different from those else where. - These realities also make the implementation of universal design extremely difficult. -
Since success breeds success and vice-versa, the very weakness mentioned earlier will create more problems for disability, old age, and the like due to mal nutrition, inadequate sanitation and hygiene, ignorance of child medication, unsafe and accident-prone situation due to bad roads, and poor industrial environment.
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Function of an eye
Eye is like a camera. The external object is seen like the camera takes the picture of any object. Light enters the eye through a small hole called the pupil and is focused on the retina, which is like a camera film. Eye also has a focusing lens, which focuses images from different distances on the retina. The colored ring of the eye, the iris, controls the amount of light entering the eye. It closes when light is bright and opens when light is dim. A tough white sheet called sclera covers the outside of the eye. Front of this sheet (sclera) is transparent in order to allow the light to enter the eye, the cornea. Ciliary muscles in ciliary body control the focusing of lens automatically. Choroid forms the vascular layer of the eye supplying nutrition to the eye structures. Image formed on the retina is transmitted to brain by optic nerve. The image is finally perceived by brain. A jelly like substance called vitreous humor fill the space between lens and retina. The lens, iris and cornea are nourished by clear fluid, aqueous humor, formed by the ciliary body and fill the space between lens and cornea. This space is known as anterior chamber. The fluid flows from ciliary body to the pupil and is absorbed through the channels in the angle of anterior chamber. The delicate balance of aqueous production and absorption controls pressure within the eye.
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Implications of Blindness
Blindness imposes three basic limitations on the individual: 1. Restrict the range and variety of experiences. The visual information that enters the central nervous system without any conscious effort is limited in a visual impaired person. However the range and variety of experiences are only reduced and not lost. This implies that substituted experiences can be provided through non-visual modes. 2. It restricts the ability to move about. In mobility too, the ability to move is restricted and not lost. The visually impaired person can be taught to move independently in known environments. Though these techniques can be applied in unknown environments too, the visually impaired person may need some orientation in the new environment. 3. It limits the control of the environment and the self in relation to it.
Tushar bhai and Govind bhai trying to recognise the currency denomination.
One of the greatest advantages of vision is that it provides information of the entire environment and enables to understand the relation of it to the self. Having a thorough knowledge of the environment helps in developing proper mobility as well as self management skills. This objective effect blindness can also overcome to a great extent through the teaching of proper orientation of the environment and manners to visually impaired children.
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What is Visual Disability?
In India, the broad definition of visual impairment as adopted in the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 as well as under the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) is given below: Blindness : Refers to a condition where a person suffers from any of the following conditions, namely: - Total absence of sight; or Visual acuity not exceeding 6/60 or 20/200 (Snellen) in the better eye even with correction lenses; or - Limitation of the field of vision subtending an angle of 20 degree or worse. - For deciding the blindness, the visual acuity as well as field of vision have been considered. Low Vision: The WHO working definition of Low Vision (WHO, 1992) is as follows: â&#x20AC;&#x153;A person with low vision is one who has impairment of visual functioning even after treatment, and/ or standard refractive correction, and has a visual acuity of less than 6/18 to light perception or a visual field of less than 10 degrees from the point of fixation, but who uses, or is potentially able to use, vision for the planning and/or execution of a taskâ&#x20AC;?.
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Categories of Visual Impairment
Category
Corrected Visual impairment Better Eye
WHO Definition Standards
Working #
Indian Definition
0
6/6-6/18
Normal
Normal
Normal
1
<6/18-6/60
Visual Impairment
Low Vision
Low Vision
2
<6/60-3/60
Severe Visual Impairment
Low Vision
Blind
3
<3/60-1/60
Blind
Low Vision
Blind
4
<1/60-PL
Blind
Low Vision
Blind
5
NPL
Blind
total Blindness
total Blindness
The standard WHO definition is used in medical reports and publications and is solely based on visual acuity and doesnot take into account functional vision. # The WHO working definition has been adopted since WHO Consultation in 1992. This working definition is solely used for reporting purposes and should not be used for eligibility of services.
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Major Causes of Visual Impairment
The major causes of Visual Impairment are, cataract, refractive errors, corneal opacity, glaucoma, trachoma, malnutrition, other infections, small pox and injuries. Many conditions can contribute to the impairments of the eye structures and tissues. Whether such limitations lead to limitations in visual functioning, however, depends upon such factors: - Site, type, etiology and severity of tissue damage. - Age of the individual at the time of the problem occurred Cataract
Diabetic retinopathy
- Nature and quality of treatment
Glaucoma
Childhood blindness
- Extent of follow-up
AMD
Trachoma
Corneal Opacities
Onchocerciasis Others
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Explanation of various terms
Visual Acuity : It refers to the ability of the eye to see details. The visual acuity for distance is measured as the maximum distance at which person can see a certain object, divided by the maximum distance at which a person with normal eyesight can see the same object.
Field of Vision: It refers to the field which both the eyes can easily see in the front. The normal field of vision is 180 degrees in front of eye.
Visual Functioning: It relates in part to the condition of the eye. It is determined by the experience, motivation, needs and expectation of each individual in relation to whatever visual capacity is available to satisfy curiosity and accomplishment activities for personal satisfaction. The visual functioning refers to the degree to which/ability of a person to use vision for all (daily) activities.
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Explanation of various terms as adopted by WHO
Condition
Concerned with
Represents
Impairments
Abnormalities of body structure and appearances; organs or system functioning
Disturbances at organ level
Disabilites
Impairment in terms of functional performance and activities
Disturbances at personal level
Handicaps
Disadvantages resulted from impairment and disabilities
Interaction with and adaptation to individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surroundings
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Types of visual impairments
Reduced contrast
central field loss
patchy vision
pallavi kulkarni < diploma project > national institute of design
peripheral field loss
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DEMOGRAPHIC DETAILS OF THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Population of the Visually Impaired in India with Reference to the World Situation _ 500 million disabled in the world _ 400 million disabled in the developing countries _ 42 million visually impaired in the world _ 9 million visually impaired in India _ 80 percent of them live in remote and isolated villages
Total Population of the Visually Impaired in India = 40,05,000 The population of the visually impaired according to urban & rural distribution is:
Rural Urban
Rural 33,35,000 Urban 6,70,000 Total 40,05,000 The population of the visually impaired of 83.27 percent as compared to that of 80 percent that of the general population in the rural areas establishes that incidence of visual impairment is relatively more in the rural areas. About 1/5th of the Worlds blind population is Indian. There are almost 9 million people in India who are visually disabled, 80 percent of them live in remote and isolated villages. The visually disabled person is supposed to live and learn with his other four senses in an environment which is created for the use of 80% visually dependant people.
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DEMOGRAPHIC DETAILS OF THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Gender-wise Distribution Male - female population Population Male (%) Visually Impaired 46.11 Total Population 50.50
Female (%) 53.89* 49.50#
Source: * Survey of Disabled Persons, NSSO, 1991 # General Population Survey, 1991
Female Male
The population of the visually impaired according to sex is : Males: 18,47,000 Females: 21,58,000 Prevalence means number of persons born with visual impairment or became visually impaired per 1,00,000 population in the country till the date of survey. It is highest in the age group 60 & above, followed by age group 55-59, and is lowest in the age group 0-4 years.Prevalance rises steadily with the increasing age both inthe rural as well as urban areas. The prominent increase is, however, from the age of 50 years onwards. It is also reported to be higher in the rural as compared to urban areas for all the age groups. Available studies consistently indicate that in every region of the world, and at all ages, females have a significantly higher risk of being visually impaired than males.
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DEMOGRAPHIC DETAILS OF THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED Population
500 400 On-set of Visual Impairment Congenital Visual Impairment : The NSSO Survey establishes that: - Majority of blindness is acquired - Only 44 out of 1,000 blind persons (4.4 %) of all age groups acquired blindness during 0-4 years of age. - Congenital blindness is almost negligible
300 200 100
60 and above
45-59
35-44
30-34
25-29
20-24
15-19
10-14
05-09
00-04
0
Age
Majority of visually impaired persons,that is 69 percent of them, acquired their impairment at the age of 60 years and above. The next important agegroup was 45-59 years as 24-26 percent acquired visual impairment in this age group. Both in the rural and urban sectors, the percentages are marginally higher in the first three age-groups viz.0-4, 5-9 & 10-14 years than that in the next 4 age-groups. The on-set of visual impairment takes place predominantly after the age of 45 years.
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Psychology of the visually disabled
A child sighted or blind is born into this world with all the building blocks for what they can become. This physical material is impacted by the childs environment over a life time while the â&#x20AC;&#x153;selfâ&#x20AC;? evolves. The self is the same in blind children as it is in the sighted, only the developmental process is different. Both children have the same starting materials: mind, body, and spirit. With these parts the child develops a process of thinking, feeling, and behaving toward other people, objects and situations, and they recognize that others also think, feel and behave in their environment. It is with their thoughts, emotions, and actions that children relate to their world using physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and moralistic attributes and through this interrelationship the self evolves. The self is everything that exists in a persons unique world and it exists because of their self-concept and self-esteem. Aspects of self-concept are the elements of well-being that assists our survival in our environment. They consist of all the physical things, our personality, feelings toward life, our knowledge and problem solving techniques, how we successfully interface with others; and our social and spiritual values in life. If our self-concept contains the important things, and issues in life, and there is a high regard for them, then our self will evolve in a manner conducive to peace and harmony. If not, the opposite will occur. The blind child must build a self with a missing part. Granted self will evolve for a blind child, but it must be augmented by all other senses of the body in order to enhance the mind and spirit. A blind childs thoughts, feelings, and behaviors serve the same purpose as they do for a sighted child, but will evolve differently. The physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and moral concepts are necessary, but are obtained without the benefit of the automatic process of seeing. The self evolves but the conduit for inputting their environment is different for a blind child.
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attitude towards the visually disabled
Blindness is simply a sensory deprivation, the absence of sight. It does not doom the individual to a life of helplessness; rob him of other senses or of intelligence. Many learn to accept it as a positive challenge, but of course, some are defeated by it. It is incorrect to say that evolution of services for the blind has always kept pace with the advancement of civilization. For Centuries blindness has had, and still has, both negative and positive connotations, with negative predominating. Attitude towards blind have varied from culture to culture with religious beliefs and mythology playing a predominant role. Very often, the blind are associated with beggars, and are looked upon with sympathy and pity. Blindness is also considered as a sin in the mythology. The blind suffer unnecessarily because of the age old misconception and deep rooted stereotypes practiced throughout the centuries. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The self respecting blind person has one constant and sometimes bitter complaint, namely the attitude of the society towards him. He resents the maudlin and patronizing way in which he is treated, and the public assumption that he must be kept dependant and put in a class apart from other peopleâ&#x20AC;ŚHe reflects the universal desire of people to be regarded as human beings, rather than pigeonholed or typed according to physical characteristics, station in life, national origin or anything else. We cannot understand human nature or built sound relationships unless we face up to this fundamental desire of people everywhere, a desire which is so well illustrated in the case of a self respecting blind.â&#x20AC;?
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haptic perceptions of the visually disabled
Haptic perception is the impression of the tactile and the kinematics (related to the motion of an object) sense. Tactile organ is in direct contact with the world of objects. The function of the tactile organ is acquiring knowledge of the material world and checking the correctness of the visual impressions. Accurate instrument for this is the hand. Just as the visual and acoustic sense help the sighted perceive, so also, the haptic sense help the visually challenged perceive space. In haptics we are dealing with a space as autonomous as the visual space. Visual perception and haptic perception are both space forming senses. A blind man is enabled by his â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;kineaesthetic (A sense of awareness of the position and movement of the voluntary muscles of the body) impression & impulse to orientate himself n space. We, sighted people are so accustomed to orientate ourselves to the visual world that while dealing with the haptic perception we fall back to our visual concepts. The blind however are forced to pay the greatest attention to their haptic perceptions and experiences. They therefore succeed in building a haptic world out of the material of their haptic experiences.
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haptic perceptions
Post-Operative experiments on those born blind: Many people born blind were unable after been operated on to recognize well known objects visually or distinguish forms or make correct statements on differences in size and distance. Haptic & Visual impression of one and the same object belongs to two different worlds of sensation. These differences become prominent at the transition from tactile & visual experience.
It was difficult for a person born blind to distinguish between a sphere and a circle, after gaining eye sight. This tells that haptic impressions and visual impressions are two different worlds of sensation.
A person born blind or lost eyesight at an early age does not know anything about visual world. He is therefore without any means of comparison. However the person lost eyesight at a later age had once known a haptically determined optical world before he became blind. He has a vague recollection of these perceptions.
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haptic perceptions
When we close our eyes again the visual world disappears; the coloured world is shut off from us, & it is immediately replaced by nothingness. Only sounds & noises endow with something like life. If we leave aside the acoustic impressions, we are able to sense the kineaestetic movements of the body. What are positively given are the bodily sensations & the knowledge that we are in space. A space of actions. There is a characteristic egocentric feeling associated with this condition. The ambient world is only open to us when our body comes into contact with objects.The act of touching & handling the objects brings into being an impression differing from all other impressions. This is the haptic sensory material. The variety of experiences in the visual impressions of sight.
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haptic perceptions
But when we hold the same object in our hand, the experience does not change. This is haptic perception.
Visually, an object appears different when we place it near to us or far from us, it appears different in shade and in sunlight, and it also appears different on a different background.
Primary difference between the visual and haptic sensory data: It is not the individual qualities of roughness, smoothness, hardness that constitute the primary difference between the visual and haptic sensory data, but, the tactile material and the visual material. Each sense has its own sensory material, out of which its very own world of experience is built up. These experiences cannot be described. The best way to become aware of their existence is by moving from one sensory sphere to the other.
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haptic perceptions
Haptics of space has to deal with special experience in empty space and space filled with objects. If the person is at rest or moving the subjective space is called, ‘body space or ‘moving space respectively.
Left
Back
Front (space extends further in the front)
Body space: When one closes ones eyes and remains immobile in the space, we experiences a characteristic egocentric feeling. We can feel the heaviness of our own body. The body appears as something devoid of shape, animated from inside.
Right
Empty Space: As soon as our attention is diverted from our own body and concentrated on the space around us, the content of our experience becomes richer. We become the center of the space. The farthest point of the space that extends in all directions is the “near space”. It definitely extends further to the front, upwards, sideways, and back. For persons born blind the space is not infinite, they attribute a particular shape to the space (occasionally it is the shape of the room).
Near space
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haptic perceptions
Braille writing is laterally inverted while writing is out. This shows their spatial skills. Recognition of form, different textures temperature and vibrating surfaces happens easily in the haptics. They can also read the symbolic representations as in the Braille. A sighted man can see things miles away from him. The blind mans horizons are the tips of his fingers. The hand as a touch organ needs to be actively applied for the purpose of observation and even when they are applied the touch horizon is the limited scope of outstretched arms and hands. Any observation made beyond this limit can only be made by moving towards the objects. Limitation of tactual perception is that it requires distinct physical contact with object to be observed. Therefore some objects cannot be observed at all. They may be inaccessible to direct touch contact or they may be too far away, too large or too small. A sighted man perceives the whole and the part; he can see mountain and electron. A blind sees the part and then figures out the whole. He cant see vast or minute objects. He can get the idea of the whole if a scale model is placed in his hands. Difference in visual perceptions and tactile perceptions exist because the sense of sight permits much greater perceptual activity than the sense of touch. The eyes are constantly open to simulation and when they are open they can take in most of what occurs in the environment of the individual. Therefore tactual perception requires direct contact with the object which must be observed as a whole if the blind person is to get complete idea of it.
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haptic perceptions
Typifying When a figure enclosed by our hand appears square or circular, we usually refrain from further analysis. We have reached our aim as soon as on the basis of haptic group character square or circle, we have classified the touched objects belonging to the pattern of a square or a circle.
The Typifying tendency makes one classify shapes in an enclosed fist according to its characteristic. A rectancle and an oval may be classified as a square or a circle.
It may well be that we are actually dealing with a rectangle or an oval. The blind are always in a look out for elemental forms, of which they can establish abstract ideas.
Straightness and curvature is easily recognized both by visual and tactile systems. Basic geometric forms can be used to reduce the finely detailed out object. The ability to place objects in conceptual categories is a fundamental property of perception. Geometric forms help gain better ideas of structure and spaces, objects and places. Blind create a mental map to move about. His mental pictures are derived entirely from the experiences of the remaining senses.
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auditory perceptions of the visually disabled
Man is passively subjected to sound and it is virtually impossible to withdraw from it. The auditory perceptions play a substitute role when it comes to perceiving the space. Spatial value of sound indicates direction and distance. It helps in differentiating the foreground from the background. The visually disabled people also use their auditory memory to memorize information for later application. The ability to differentiate different sounds, like the natural sound from the sound made from a particular activity, or sound from a particular place is very strong in these individuals. Individuals are identified by different voices, while intonations, the intensity of speech sounds & speech tempo indicate the feelings of the people. They are always curious to listen to newer sounds and music is something which almost everybody loves.
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mobility and orientation Mobility plays an important role in the growth and functioning of an individual. To move independently, safely, and purposefully through the environment is of primary importance to every individual. The ability to be mobile affects and is affected by every aspect of a persons life.
Mobility and Vision:
Vision plays a vital role in Mobility of all living creatures. Human beings are the most vision oriented, with 80% of the learning happening through vision. It is vital for simulation and for the confirmation of information gathered through the other senses.
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what is mobility?
Mobility is the movement of a person from the present position to a desired position, safely, avoiding all the obstacles that come in the path. Orientation is establishing ones position in the immediate environment, and the knowledge of self in accordance with the surroundings.
Mobility Training: Certain important aspects while considered while giving mobility training to a blind individual are, balance, posture, motor skills and body image. Four of the most common ways for people with visual impairment to move around are by using: - Human guides - Trained dog guides - Sticks or Walking canes - Electronic travel aid The most viable, affordable, and widely used mode of travel in India is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cane travel.
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what is orientation?
Orientation Skills:
Orientation Skills include the integration of information received through the remaining senses, which include the kineaesthetic sense, understanding and being familiar with ones environment. Hence sensory training is vital prior to teaching mobility skills. Training includes being aware of landmarks and cues. Any familiar objects, sounds, etc. that can be easily recognized and are permanent in the environment are called landmarks. Any stimuli o the other senses that are not permanent are called cues. These landmark and cues play a vital role in travel for a blind person. They help in estimating the length of the travel and the remaining distance, taking directions and locating various places and objects. Conceptual Skills include three areas - Body Concepts: Refers to body image and body schema - Spatial Concepts: Include position, relation, and movement - Environmental Concepts: Relate to traffic, crossings, pavement etc.
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accessible technology Our lives today are overwhelmingly dependant on technology. Although technology based services help us to get on with our lives, it can also be notoriously prejudiced, demanding and inconsiderable to the universal human needs. Accessible Technology takes into consideration the special needs of the less abled users apart from satisfying the basic functional requirement. It enables the less abled to participate fully in life and support their independent living. From a technological point of view these products/ services are often state-of-the-art and represent the result of innovative R&D efforts. From a human perspective, they make a difference between being able to or not being able to fully participate in the society. Accessible technology which is simple to use and easy to learn is one of the core elements of appropriate design.
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Assistive Devices for the Visual Disabled Assistive Devices for the visually impaired can be divided into the following categories:
Educational devices: Braille Typewriter
These devices consist of, Braille Duplicators and Writer, Writing Devices, Braille Paper, Talking Books and Tape Recorders, Reading Machines, Braille Computers, Mathematical Devices, Geography Devices, Science Devices
Vocational Devices:
These devices help a disabled person perform various mechanical and technological operations. They ensure employment and complete safety of the persons labour. They increase his productivity and self reliability.
Daily Living Devices: Talking Watches
These devices can be further classified into the following categories: • Clocks and Watches • Games and Puzzles and Sports • Kitchen Equipment • Personal Devices
Low vision devices:
Optical devices
There are two main types of low vision devices: • optical devices which use lenses to magnify objects •non-optical devices and techniques which make objects easier to use
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mobility devices for the visually disabled
Cane:
The cane is an extension of touch to the user. Many users feel that it symbolizes their handicap, however, what it truly symbolizes is the independence of the visually handicapped individual. The cane is generally painted in white to make it visible to motorist, hence the name â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;white cane. At present two types of canes are used, long canes, and collapsible canes.
Types of Canes
Electronic travel devices (ETA):
Laser cane
Sends out signals to sense the environment, within a certain range or distance, processes the information received, and furnishes the person with relevant information about the environment. Most of those devices are based on integrated circuits and emit sound or tactile signals. Not available and prevalent in India. _ Lind Say Russel E-model Path Sounder _ C 5 Laser Cane _ Ultrasonic Torch _ Sonic Guide _ Light Probes _ Mowat Sonar Sensor _ Nottingham Obstacle Sensor _ Electro-cortical Prosthesis _ Electro Roftalm _ AFBs Computerized Travel Aid _ Polaroid Ultrasonic Travel Aid
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mobility devices for the visually disabled The K Sonar enables blind persons to perceive their environment through ultrasound and be more mobile in their need to travel. The ‘KSonar has been designed to be attached to a long cane. It also can be used without the cane as an independent travel aid for those who have learned to use it well in suitable, familiar, recognizable situations. -
The K Sonar works like an ordinary flashlight except that it sends out a beam of sound rather than light.
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Silent ultrasonic waves bounce off objects sending back information about objects and their location.
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Sonar information is collected from the path ahead by the ‘K Sonar providing a mental map of objects in front and to the sides of the user as the cane is scanned. The tip of the cane acts as a safety backstop by coming into contact with an object that was not avoided.
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Scanned objects normally produce multiple echoes, translated by the K Sonar receiver into unique invariant ‘tone-complexsounds, which users listen to and learn to recognize. The human brain is very good at learning and remembering these sound-signature sequences in a similar way that it learns a musical tune.
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The sound signatures vary according to how far away the K Sonar is from the object, thus indicating distance. The user listens to these sounds through miniature earphones and can detect the differences between sound sequences thus identifying the different objects.
‘K’ Sonar
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mobility devices for the visually disabled
Infrared Communication:
An Infrared beam to the hand held receiver that speaks the message to the user, transmits the speech embedded in the sign. In a scenario at a traffic signal, it gives the name of the cross street, the address no of the block, and most importantly the direction in which the persson is facing. Talking signs
Synthetic speech:
Auditory assistive devices which include talking computer interfaces, reading machines, talking signs, and a plethora of talking appliances and gadgets. There is a plethora of devices that display information by talking to the user. Computer-users and web-browsers can use screen-reading software to listen to textual information that appears on the computer monitor. Sonification in assistive devices is limited to wayfinding systems that encode range into frequency. In this, recorded speech can also be used.
GPS Based Way finding system:
GPS based wayfinding system designed for the blind provide a steady narrative on instantaneous location, travel, direction and point of interest. GPS Based Wayfinding System
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way finding for the visually disabled Mental mapping of spaces, and of the possible paths for navigating these spaces, is essential for the development of efficient Orientation and Mobility (O&M) skills. Most of the information required for this mental mapping is gathered through the visual channel. People who are blind lack this information, and in consequence they are required to use compensatory sensorial channels and alternative exploration methods. Research on O&M skills of people who are blind in known and unknown spaces indicates that support for the acquisition of spatial mapping and orientation skills should be supplied at two main levels: perceptual and conceptual. At the perceptual level, visual information shortage is compensated by that perceived via other senses, e.g., haptic or auditory information. For blind individuals, haptic information is commonly supplied by the white cane for low-resolution scanning of the immediate surroundings, by palms and fingers for fine recognition of object form, texture and location, and by the feet regarding navigational surface information. The auditory channel supplies complementary information about events, the presence of other people (or machines or animals) in the environment, or estimates of distances within a space. As for the conceptual level, the focus is on supporting the development of appropriate strategies for an efficient mapping of the space and the generation of navigation paths. Research indicates that people use two main spatial strategies: route and map strategies. Route strategy is based on linear recognition of spatial features, while map strategy is holistic and encompasses multiple perspectives of the target space. Research shows that people who are blind use mainly route strategy when recognizing and navigating new spaces.
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user studies
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BLINDFOLDED EXPERIENCE
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organisations visited
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Initial user studies
40-45
Questionnaire 1
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user studies 1
47-50
user studies 1 findings
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expertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interviews
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Questionnaire 2
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user studies 2
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user studies 2 findings
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user interaction studies
59-70
layout study
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handicap international
72-75
room of experiences
76-77
present scenario in india
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pallavi kulkarni < diploma project > national institute of design
Phase- 2
user studies
user studies User-studies and an initial investigation emphasized the vastness of the project area. I started visiting a number of institutions, and NGOs in and around Ahmedabad to get a first hand experience about the issue. User study was the most important part of this project. After an initial understanding of the perceptual world of the visually disabled, I carefully made questionnaires according to my analysis and then took interviews. Every interview gave me a different insight. The more I conversed with them the more it made me understand them better. I also interviewed some experts and got some valuable insights from them. After each interview I came back and analyzed the findings and made notes for further use.
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BLINDFOLDED EXPERIENCE The perceptual world of the visually disabled is completely different from the perceptual world (which is 80% visual) the sighted people live, I tried to blindfold myself for a day. It was almost impossible for me to orient myself in the space, which was so much known to me otherwise. Initially, I kept bumping into things, and dropping objects that came in my way. After some time I felt that I am paying more attention to the sounds around me. I could hear the birds, the honking vehicles, the distant doorbells, a child crying, sound of utensils being cleaned, and the sounds of the fridge. I realized the importance of sound at this point of time. The sounds of the fridge lead me to the kitchen, the cool air of the ceiling fan helped me spot the bedroom. I felt that my skin has become all the more sensitive, as if it were talking with me and telling me about the surroundings. Though my mobility was restricted to my home, I could easily move about in it. With some practice I could also find the doors and windows. While having food, I realized that never before have I tried to feel the food. I always ate food but never tried to touch it and feel the difference between rice, dal, and the sabji. Then, it was important for me to make out this difference, to know what am I putting in my mouth. The day passed in this way, and I saw many things from a different perspective. The importance of sound, and touch is of utmost importance in the absence of sight.
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organisations visited
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Initial user studies
The Braille typewriter. This is the traditional way of typing braille on paper. The braille letters are typed on a zinc plate. This embossed zinc plate is then used for printing braille on paper.
Duxburry Braille Software. This software has made a the whole process of typing and printing braille considerably fast and efficient.
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A chat with the students of the 10th class. Mohasin and Dinesh are close friends. They share a common interest and that is writing poetry.
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Initial user studies
Babu bhai comes from a very poor family. He is a very cheerful and hardworking person. He teaches cane work to the primary school kids. When I asked him if he could recognize the currency notes, and gave him some notes, he could recognize almost all. He mistook the 50 Rs note to be a 100 Rs, because of the same breadth. He had worked in a STD booth and so he is trained to handle cash. One interesting thing he told me about the way he keeps a check of the bill to be taken from every customer is, by counting the number of beeps and multiplying it with the pulse rate. Audiory skill is practiced to perfection.
Govind is a std 12th student. He was very confident about identifying all the notes. Could successfully identify all of them. He could recognize the different denominations in the coins because each weighs different. But said that he does commit mistakes sometimes. He also organizes his wallet very well. He keeps notes of different denominations in different compartments of his wallet. This way he says that he does not go wrong. Organising skills
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Initial user studies
Pathan bhai who teaches at the Primary School at the BPA, showed me a stencil device which helps the visually disabled measure the dimensions of the currency notes.
Tushar, a standard 12th student , was very confident with the coins and could identify all of them. He asked me to close my eyes and identify the coins and I could identify only the 5 Rs coin. Then he taught me the way they are to be recognized.
Haptic skills and knowledge is applied to perform the daily activities
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Dharnath Pandey could recognize all the notes with careless easy. It was really amazing the way he judges and measures each note by folding it and keeping it is a particular way in his palm and then identify it.
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Initial user studies
Kanchan ben can recognize the currency notes by their colours. She manages all the tasks of verifying notes very well. She says that she trusts the people in the Institute and till date nobody has cheated her. Coins are easier to recognize. She keeps the 500 and 100 Rs notes separately in her purse for safety purpose. Anokhelalji could not recognize any of the note. He said that it is so difficult for him to recognize notes that he does not keep notes of denominations higher than 20Rs. He uses 50 and 100 rs notes only when he goes for shopping at the time of Navratri. The problems faced by the illiterate people are more challenging than those faced by the literate.
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Initial user studies
This is like a jigsaw puzzle in which we are supposed to form 3D cube. The two keys are entangled in each other and we are supposed to separate them. The second game is also about separating the two structures.
Pathan bhai, teacher at the BPA, showing his collection of games for the visually disabled children.
These games are designed for the children to develop their haptic skills.
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Initial user studies
Some more tricks..
When I played chess with Pathan bhai, I was amazed by his spatial skills. Not only did he planned and made correct moves, but also told me where I went wrong. It was amazing to see how his fingers moved over the chess board, judging and planning his next moves. Finally I lost the game. He then taught me some techniques and tricks about the game.
Braille Cards
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Questionnaire 1
After my initial visits at the Blind Peoples Association, I started making a questionnaire, in which I tried to include all the concerns which I could come up with. Some points I included in it are: • Finding their likes and dislikes • Mobiles • Computers • Mobility • Using Currency • Favorite pastime • News • Studies • Indoor Games • Outdoor Games
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user studies 1
Damji bhai:
Reheman Pathan: Pathanbhai is working as a teacher in the BPA. He lost his eyesight at the age of 7. Rehaman bhai also makes small games for the visually disabled children. He has a good collection of games, and loves playing chess. He is well conversed with the computers. He can recognize all the currency notes. While traveling to and fro from the school and home, he uses his limited cognitve skills to make sound judgements. Locational cues such as sound and bumps on the road, help him find his way.
Damji bhai teaches cane work in the Vocational training school at BPA. He likes to cook food and also used to run a canteen. He likes to visit places and also likes to be in the school with his students. His wife is also visually impaired and both are determined to give higher education to their daughter. He has excellent memory and remembers all the mobile numbers he requires.
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user studies 1
Mohasin Hoara:
Kanchan ben:
Mohasin is studying in std 8th. He lost his eyesight when he was 5 years old. He like to go out alone and visit places. he like to go to his sisters place in Ahmedabad. He writes poetry in Urdu and loves playing cricket.
Kanchanben runs a STD booth just outside the BPA campus. She is severely visually impaired. She can recognise colours when the object is held very close to the eyes(a few centimeters)because of the residual sight. Liked to play outdoor games, like long jump, running. Very active in the carrying out the activities of the mahila mandal she started.
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user studies 1
Labho ben works in BPA. She learnt chair making in the technical school of BPA, and now she has mastered the technique. She weaves nylon threads with careless ease, and can make one chair in just two days.
Labho ben I asked her to teach me how to weave the nylon threads. She constantly held my hand in her hand and patiently taught the technique. After I completed one line of weaving, she used to check it and used to tell me where I went wrong.
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user studies 1
During the lunch breaks the children have food in the mess and then walk on the ground chit chatting with their friends.
Cricket is everyones favorite game and they thoroughly enjoy it. Fighting is an inevitable part of the game. The players have to listen to the sounds made by the ball and play. It was amazing to see the way they judge the sound of the ball and catch it.
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user studies 1 findings
Almongst all of the users liked to listen to music. They generally refrain from going out, but if proper aid is provides they would surely like to visit into new places. Like to play games, both indoor and outdoor. Very limited games available Everyone owns a media player Like to make friends, and chat Activities like shopping are very difficult to manage alone. Are well conversant with the use of mobiles. Except for reading messages can perform almost all the operations Can use computers well, but would like if the cursor would have been mouse oriented The collapsible stick is the most important object when it comes to going out of the familiar surroundings Identification of currency notes is a problem These initial conversations were extremely helpful for me to lay a foundation of my further research.
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expertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interviews
Dr Sameer Mansuri
Ph. D in Ayurvedic and Alternative medicines During the user studies some teachers at the Blind Peoples Association mentioned about Dr. Sameer Mansuri. He is a well known Ayurvedic doctor. He has his clinics in Mumbai, Lodra, and Vadodra. He is well known for his accurate diagnosis. He has given beauty treatments to many film stars also. He strongly felt that rather than introducing new technology, it was more important for us to create employment facilities for the visually disabled. He added that, trust and respect is important for the growth and independent life of an individual. According to him, employment is a major concern among the visually disabled individuals.
Vimal Thavani
Project Co-ordinator Blind Peoples Association According to Mrs Vimal Thavani, one must study the psychology of the users, before designing a product or a system for them. Since the sighted people think differently from the way the visually disabled think it is almost impossible for one to predict things according to our perceptions. The system designed for the differently abled people should be feasible in the present scenario.
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expertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interviews Dr. Suresh Majumdar
Consultant Clinical Psychologist Psychotherapist Dr Suresh Majumdar said that the upbringing of the blind child determines his/her attitude in life. An over protected child will always need sympathy where as a neglected child will become an introvert. He says that when a child is born blind his family is in a shock not the child. Generally in this situation the blame is put on the mother of the child. So it is the family who needs the counseling not the child. While designing for the visually disabled one must keep in mind that just as there are highly perceptive individuals so also, there are some people who are not so sharp. One person may read and write Braille while the other may not. One person may have practiced his auditory skills to perfection where as the other person may be sharp at his tactile perceptions. Shopping is a multisensory activity and therefore with the use of alternate senses, the experience can be made more fulfilling. Archana Shrivastava Coordinator â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Inclusion and Rights Handicap International Ahmedabad Archana Shrivastava has been closely working in the area of Accessibility of the built environments for the disabled. She asked me to visit several places which are been made accessible by altering the built environments, places like SPIPA, Gallops mall, Law Garden. She also added that when designing for the visually disabled, one must also consider the problems faced by the people with low vision. Also, one must consider their abilities rather than disabilities.
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expertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interviews
Prof. Kavi
Prof. Soni Principal Blind Peoples Association
Prof Kavi said there is a lack of awareness in the people about the capabilities of the visually disabled people. The people with visual disabilities are not disabled but they are differently abled. They can see what we sighted people fail to see. The blind feel that their other faculties are not actually more developed, but that they make conscious efforts to use them, and then practice them to perfection. Not only do people think twice before giving them jobs, giving accommodation, but they also think twice before talking with them. People do not trust their abilities. So, when designing for the differently abled people, one should consider these assets which they have.
According to Prof. Soni, more than any other barrier it is the psychological barrier that upsets him the most. He shared some of his experiences he faced being visually impaired. He said that the visually disabled individual is as fit as any other individual. If proper barrier informers are present in the environment it becomes much easier for them to move about independently. He suggested that while designing for the visually disabled one must keep in mind that he has to carry a folding stick with him, hence the design should not make things awkward or difficult for him.
Education Officer Blind Peoples Association
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Questionnaire 2
After the initial user studies I decided to focus on shopping. Shopping is a social experience and a practical necessity. I realized that the visually disabled find it very difficult to shop alone. To find out more about their shopping experiences, their opinions, and needs I made a questionnaire. I went back and interviewed the same user group I interviewed earlier.
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user studies 2 Damjibhai: According to Damjibhai, in blind couples, mostly men take care of the shopping part. Generally shops at one store Always worried about the quality of the product Shopkeepers usually refrain from helping the blind Blind people are better than the sighted when it comes to choosing audio devices Kanchanben: Kanchanben likes to shop a lot, especially buying clothes and shoes for herself Though her husband is sighted, she does all the grocery shopping for her family Completely relies on the shopkeeper where she shops every month Does not like to go to the malls, because she feels they are confusing Her children accompany her at the stores and help her shop
Pathanbhai: Does not like to go out and shop in the crowded market Shops are better when it comes to quality products Does not like to bargain, feels that the shopkeepers also have to earn
Mohasin and Dinesh: In the malls every counter does not have a person allocated to it, so it is difficult for them to shop The shopkeepers are very friendly, they know what is required Crowd is not a problem Get to know about the products through the advertisements on the radio and the television Every packaging should have a handle
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user studies 2
Soni Sir does not like to shop not because of any difficulty but because he does not like it so much The slippery floors and the so called design and decorations makes it difficult to move about. Wheelchair friendliness is absent Generally when the blind person goes shopping, either a sighted person escorts him or he shops at in a known place. When blind people go o shop, the general attitude of the salesman is, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yeh kuch nahi khardne walaâ&#x20AC;? People refrain from showing any variety, and the readiness is absent. Prof. Soni Principal, BPA
Since barrier informers are absent, it becomes impossible to move about A tactile diagram does not always give the exact idea of the space, instead a 3D model of the space gives a better understanding
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user studies 2 findings
• They do not like to rely on anybody • Shopping at malls is difficult because it is difficult for them to find things they want, Wherever there is more than one quality, it is very confusing • They have to trust the shopkeepers, who refrain from giving them any information about the goods • It depend on their sighted companion or the shop owner to know about: 1. any new product, 2. brands, 3. cost of the product, 4. offers or free gifts on the product, 5. flavours, 6. expiry dates, 7. directions to use the product. • Get to know about new products from friends, colleagues, advertisements on the radio or the TV • Prefer the plastic packets with handles because it is easier this way to find out its contents
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user interaction studies
Trolleys could not be located easily.
He asked me whether the entrance and the exit of the shop were the same. The air blowers at the door would help him remember the location of the door.
After focusing the interviews on the shopping experience, and getting verbal insights from the user group, I decided to do a detailed analysis of their experience by accompanying a visually disabled person in a shop. I approached a super market to do this user study. During my initial user study, Damji bhai had expressed his desire to visit a shopping mall. So I requested him to come with me. This experience at the shopping center was very enriching.
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user interaction studies
Yeh to bahot aasan hai! Mein ise khinchta hoon He preferred to pull the trolley rather than pushing it. He said that if he pushed the trolley, it will be difficult for him to locate the obstacles in his way.
As we moved in he checked the plastic packets. He could easily feel the contents of the packets. He correctly recognized most of them.
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user interaction studies
He could easily differentiate between the different food packets and remembered the sections we passed.
Yeh to dal hai!
Yeh shayad powder hai, kaunsi pata nahi.
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user interaction studies
He was happy to find so much of a variety at one place and was very eager to know about all the products.
He inspected each and every item that came his way. He guessed the content of the boxes, and if he went wrong he asked me to correct him.
Food items kept in thick plastics bags were difficult for him to identify.
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user interaction studies
The visual information about the offers, gifts went unnoticed.
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user interaction studies
Strong smell ho to samaz ata hai, nahi to mushkil hai.. After every rack he asked me about the contents of the next racks. But before we went near the soaps and detergents section he knew about it because of the strong smells.
He could orient himself according to the racks. But if at all there was not any rack in continuation, he felt lost.
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user interaction studies
He was very curious about any new package or bottle he came across. He smelled all the spices and recognized each.
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user interaction studies
He used to keep every product he checked, right in its place. Once he picked up a deodorant and asked me to check its price. I checked it and as I was telling him the price, I kept the deodorant in the shelf. He then checked the shelf and told me that I had not kept it in its right place. He was very organized.
He generally did not check the lower compartments of the racks. When I asked him about it, he said that he was afraid that things might fall off and secondly he thought that he might trip because of the cluttered floors. This made him more cautious.
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user interaction studies
After some time when he became comfortable with the space, he tried to explore on his own, without any assistance.
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user interaction studies
While going out of the shop, Damjibhai asked me, â&#x20AC;&#x153;main yaha firse aa sakta hoon? muje yahan bahot accha laga. Par agli bar aap to nahi rahenge, fir mujhe bataega kaun?..
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user interaction studies
To understand the present scenario of the malls, I went to one of the most popular malls in Ahmedabad. In absence of the accessibility features, I tried to visualize what problems visually disabled person will face. Our visual experiences help us access places easily. In absence of this ability how will a person try to access this place, what problems will that person face, and how can these problems be taken care of.
In this doodle I have tried to show the difficulties a disabled person will face while traveling from the main gate to the entrance of the mall. The visual information guides a sighted person, but in the absence of alternate means of information a visually disabled person will not be able to find his way. That means that whatever one can see needs to be translated in their language. The information should be tactile or auditory.
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user interaction studies If I were a visually disabled person I will not be able to find the right entrance and exit After I enter I will not know how to proceed to the main gate The pillars, trolleys that come in my way will be a hurdle for me, I might fall or bump into it. I will not be able to find the location of the baggage counter The stairs are too slippery for me to use my cane properly From the baggage counter I will not know which direction to move towards, to enter the mall The main gate has two doors, of which one is closed, I will not know where from to enter The path is much cluttered; finding the safest path for me is difficult The token which the counter boy gave me is not in braille If I want to check the other malls, I will not know which way to proceed
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layout study
Space to move about Racks, counters, pillars I went to three more malls and studied the layout of the grocery section. In all the three cases the layouts were confusing. The disorganized arrangement of racks and the cluttered spaces will make the orientation of a visually disabled person very difficult.
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handicap international
Ramp
Textured path for the cane users
I visited Handicap International, Ahmedabad. Founded in 1982, handicap International is a Non Governmental Organization that works in 55 countries around the world. They work via their projects and political action, to prevent situations of handicap and support systems and services for persons with disabilities. There I met Ms. Archana Shrivastava Co-ordinator, Inclusion and Rights. I got valuable insights from her regarding their work towards an inclusive and barrier-free built environment. They have access audits in which a group of architects, disability experts, civil engineers, doctors, etc. come together and work as a team, to make the public places accessible to all.
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handicap international
A rectangular textured strip joined to the textured path symbolizes that there were more than two directions to be chosen at that point.
To supplement the textured path, tactile signages were positioned at these points.
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handicap international
Tactile Map enabled visually impaired to experience the overall space through touch.
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handicap international
Accessible Handles
Contrasting colours given to the walls and the furniture to aid the visually impaired.
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Braille signage on the doors
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room of experiences The Room of Experiences was opened within the Textile and Industrial Tradition Museum of Busto Arsizio, Italy. The project, conceived within the logic of Inclusive Design, was born thanks to the sensitivity and will of Vincenzo Zucchi, which wanted to offer an educational experience into the world of textiles and to present to as many people as possible. The project was conceived in order to be independently accessible and fulfilling for all visitors. From this point of view, particular attention has been taken regarding the creation of suitable instruments to favor and stimulate the processes of knowledge gain for those who are blind, colour-blind or have visual acuteness problems.
Perspective view from the entrance corridor, also showing the tactile map at the left end
Close-up of the visual tactile map at the entrance
The visitors are given the concrete opportunity to discover (through sight, touch, hearing, sense of smell) raw, semi-worked and spun materials, fabrics and handblocks. The message to get across is the idea of ‘learning whilst playing’ using ones senses and relying on the fact that the experience can be an opportunity for meeting people, for comparison and reflection among people with different abilities. In order to operate correctly and coherently and to not generate any stigmatising consequences, some fundamental design principles have been taken into consideration: autonomy of use, compatibility of solutions on dimensional, sensory, cognitive and cultural levels, adaptability and flexibility, plain appearance, simplicity of use, a good balance between quality and price and last but not least safety and reliability. The multi-sensory design has been based on messages and signage which are visual, auditory, tactile, thermal, kinaesthetic, sense of smell and sense of weight. The organisation and structuring of these elements within the space has been created using the ‘additional signage’ principle, keeping in mind the objective of compatibility and generalization of effects’ for people with different abilities and needs. The three dimensionality of the project has been based on a story written by Cristina Bertè (the Collection’s curator) and Matteo Zucchi. The words heard in the audio guide – which illustrate the history of cotton from the seed to the spinning process to the fabric to the printing.
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room of experiences
View of the spinning, weaving and printing area
View of the show cases and drawers which contain seeds flowers and dense coton
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Close-up of the drawers containing the seeds
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present scenario in india
As per the latest census report over 22 million people are defined as medically disabled in India. With inclusion of person with reduced mobility it amounts to nearly 1/5th of the total population and yet, is our environment accessible for all? Our built environments unfortunately have many barriers disallowing many of us to carry out our basic daily routine. The area around us is full of barriers and obstacles which affect a persons opportunities, chances of employment, chances of accessing services, etc. The structural barriers like narrow width of the doorways, uneven flooring, steep slopes, steps and stairs, range of control panels etc, restrict the mobility of the wheel chair users. Inadequate visual warning, signs and audio control are some problems which the people with hearing impairment face. People with visual impairments have even more impediments to face. Their barriers include absence of prior information of the further paths, lack of Braille or tactile signage, inadequate illumination, or the protruding objects. Due to this, the visually disabled people refrain from going outdoors. They limit their everyday journey to their school campus, college campus, places of work. Designing public places which meet the genuine needs of the visually disabled, will aid their mobility and thus encourage them to move about independently and confidently anywhere and everywhere.
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Brainstoming
79
Structuring the Information
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ergonomic studies
81-86
analysis
87
design considerations
88
design guidelines
89-93
redefined brief
94
layout
95
detailing the layout
96
detailing the concept
97-103
scenario
104-107
final design
108-116
conclusion
117
bibliography
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Phase- 3
design
brainstorming
Following are some of the key words that I came up with while brainstorming. Limited Stock in shelves Wheelchair Accessibility Wide doors Way finding No thresholds Sectioning textured Path Using Smells Tactile icons Sonification Temperatures Orientation Pillars Powered doors
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Sensitivity Barrier Informers Talking Signs Contrasts Landmark and cues Crumbs Organised Antiskid flooring Touch screens Multisensory Feasibility Speaking Racks Recorded Speech
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structuring the information
Chunking the information gathered in meaningful clusters of information made the issue more understandable. The different groups formed in the Affinity chart according to the obvious data patterns were: •Disabilities •Problem areas •Structural Barriers •Way finding •Ergonomics •Features of the Mall •Social Space
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ergonomic studies BASIC ANTHROPOMETRICS WHEEL CHAIR USERS
FORWARD REACH
If the clear floor space only allows forward approach to an object, the maximum high forward reach allowed shall be 1200 mm. The minimum low forward reach is 400 mm.
SIDE REACH
If the high forward reach is over an obstruction 500 mm deep the reach and clearances shall be 1100 mm.
If the clear floor space reach allows parallel approach by a person in a wheelchair, the maximum high side reach allowed shall be 1300 mm and the low side reach shall be no less than 250 mm above the finished floor.
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If the side reach is over an obstruction 500 mm deep and 850 mm high, then the max. side reach is 1200 mm.
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ergonomic studies BASIC ANTHROPOMETRICS WHITE CANE RANGE
Any obstacle above 750 mm cannot be detected by the white cane. If there are projections above this height then the projections have to be reflected at the floor level in terms of level or textural differences. The radial range of the white cane is a band 900 mm wide.
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ergonomic studies BASIC ANTHROPOMETRICS COMMON REACH ZONES
The comfortable reach zone when seated on a wheelchair is between 900 mm and 1200 mm. The maximum reach zone is between 1200 mm and 1400 mm.
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ergonomic studies BASIC ANTHROPOMETRICS CIRCULATION DIMENSIONS
The figure illustrates that although 1500 mm is the minimum required turning radius, it is desirable to provide an 1800 mm turning radius. Electrical wheelchairs may be more bulky and do not have the same maneuverability as manual wheelchairs. Walkway Width for Crutch Users Even though the disabled using walking aids can manoeuver themselves through door widths of 900 mm., for a comfortable gait a wider passageway is desirable. A minimum width of 950 mm is desirable.
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ergonomic studies
VISION CONE: The illustration aside shows the different fields of vision for the normal sighted person. All signages should be designed based upon these dimensions. HEIGHTS OF PEOPLE: The average height of a person seated upon a wheelchair is generally less than 1200 mm. The average height of a standing person is generally less than 2000 mm. LIGHTING: Illumination levels shall not be less than 100 lux in laboratories and not less than 50 lux in all other facilities. The minimum illumination level required at floor and tread level at angles, intersections and changes in level where there are stairs or ramps shall be: • 50 lux in every exit, in every public corridor, and in every corridor providing access to an exit and other occupancies. • 100 lux in washrooms, in recreation rooms, residence common rooms, at the level of edge of stair nosings. • 200 lux in service rooms and laundry rooms. pallavi kulkarni < diploma project > national institute of design
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ergonomic studies Wheelchair Passage Width The minimum clear passage width for a single wheelchair is 900 mm continuously. An accessible route should be 1200 mm wide to allow both a wheelchair and a walking person except where extra space is required at the doorways. Width for Passing Wheelchairs The minimum passage width for two wheelchairs to pass side by side is 1500 mm. In case of continuous stretch of corridor, the preferable width is 1800 mm. Wheelchair Turning Space The minimum space required for a wheelchair to make a 180½ turn is a clear space of 1500 mm diameter or a T-shaped space 900 mm. wide. Clear Floor or Ground Space for Wheelchairs The minimum clear floor or ground space required to accommodate a single, stationary wheelchair and occupant is 900 mm x 1200 mm. An allocation of 1200 mm x 1200 mm would facilitate both forward and side approaches. The clear floor or ground space for wheelchair access may be positioned for perpendicular or parallel approach to an object. This clear floor or ground space may be part of the knee space required under some objects such as tables, basins or platforms. pallavi kulkarni < diploma project > national institute of design
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analysis
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design considerations
A consolidation of findings from the analysis helped me come up with the design considerations. I then went ahead and made the design guidelines.
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design guidelines Entrance The entrance should be accessible to the disabled person. It should have proper accessibility signages using the international symbol of accessibility. The entrance landing should have a minimum dimension of 1800 mm x 2000 mm. The flooring of this landing should be made conspicuously distinct, with tactile rendering, from the surroundings to guide the visually impaired. This can be done with the help of tactile paving. Also tiles of different textures can be used to mark the path. Auditory information can be given at the entrance, which tells us that we are at the entrance, and that there is a map at your side which gives us an overall view of the place. This entrance should be well connected by accessible pathways to other accessible amenities such as parking spaces, both indoor and outdoor, local transit bus-stops and drop-off areas. A public telephone and benches for waiting can be installed in the entrance space. The phones must provide direct communication with informed personnel who can provide assistance. The entrance landing should have proper cover for protection against adverse weather conditions. Powered door convenient for all
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design guidelines Baggage counter •The baggage counter will provide bright coloured tokens with Braille markings on it, so as a visually disabled person can independently work at the counter. • Tactile Signage
Barrier Informers Barrier Informers will be provided at the places where there are stairs, ramps, slopes, turnings, protruding objects. •They can be in the form of: •Slight bumps on the flooring •Use of different textured tiles that can be easily noticed by a cane user. •Auditory information
Colour Schemes •The colour schemes both inside and outside the shopping center will be bright. •Contrasting colours will be used for the people with low vision to identify. •Distinct contrast in the flooring and the walls, and also the other elements like the racks, handrails etc •Different sections in the malls can have different colour schemes. This will help the visually impaired people to move about and have clear indication of entering a new section, and it will also be exciting for the kids.
Tactile maps
•Use of basic shapes to denote the space, considering the typifying tendency of the blind •Braille labels
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design guidelines Food Court
•Braille menu card along with the printed menu card will be provides. Printed menu card will have clear, bold, readable text •Sturdy tables, and wooden chairs •Fixed tables and chairs with space kept for the wheel chair users.
Garden (Social Space)
•Fixed benches •Pathway with trail for the visually disabled •3 D model for visually disabled and for the children •Raised flowerbeds, raised ponds, access to aquatic plants •Bright flowers for people with low vision •Braille directional signage
Handrails
•Handrails for orientation for the visually disabled and for the physically disabled •Handrails with Braille arched on the back face •Wooden Handrails are comfortable than metal ones •For aiding orientation, we can have variations in the left and the right handrails (left ones can be wooden and right ones can be metal) •Bright coloured handrails to aid the people with low vision
Parking
Separate entrance for the parking, so as the vehicles do not cause hindrance to the other users of the mall.
Accessible washrooms
Tactile signage at the entrance of the washrooms to aid the visually disabled.
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design guidelines Interiors of the mall
•Orientation pillars •Illumination- bright •Bending and stretching associated with high and low shelves •Trolleys to which they can hang their canes. •Care to be taken so as things do not fall down •Limited number of things kept to avoid clutter •Bright coloured ways and paths and contrasts intersecting points •Talking signs can give an approx estimate of time required to reach the destinations it suggests •Categorize food items •Spatial and organizational changes •Avoid too much of signage •Wide doors •Orientation pillars •Use of different slants •Sectioning/partition Space division •Landmark and cues •Air Blowers direction
Sonification
•Sound of cascading water, birds chirping etc can be used as audio icons to denote directions, differentiate spaces etc. •Auditory signage give locational information to the visually disabled person. Earcons or Auditory icons can be used at the turning points. These earcons can be in the form of sound of chirping birds, or musical instruments. We can also use sounds in the environment as guiding cues.
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design guidelines Racks: •Raised racks to reduce bending •Braille stickers on each tray of the rack to aid the visually disabled •Uniformly divided trays, for ease of use •Tray with proper edges so prevent things from falling •A textured strip that goes along all the racks, to aid orientation Pathway and Steps: Textured and Brightly coloured pathways which have contrasting intersection points Similar texture of the floor, before and after the steps Bright coloured landings of the step Tactile paving that lead the way to the entrance along with the handrails Edged walk way, for the wheel chair users to move about easily. Flooring •The flooring will be anti skid and low glare. •The colours will be in contrast with those on the walls. •There will be no clutter on the floors, no objects lying here and there •Tactile markings on the floor •Variations in the floor surface to designate specific areas of a room, in particular when ever there is about to be a surface transitions, for example at the top of stairs. •Non elevated floor finish to prevent accidental falls, there should be no thresholds Tactile (Braille) and visual signage for all Tactile signage before the entrance
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redefined brief
The meaning of disability for access needs includes not only the persons with physical and sensory impairment, but also, the temporarily infirm, senior citizens, pregnant women, people carrying children or luggage. Accessibility is a matter of right for all of us. An accessible shopping space should have multisensory approach, which will enhance the sensory feedback of the user. An environment that enhances sensory feedback and pleasure would be especially attractive to everyone. It considers the needs of people with diverse abilities without stigmatizing the users. The accessible shop should also look at employing the disabled; this will be an attempt in changing the attitude of the people towards disability. This way not just the structural barriers but also, psychological barriers are taken care of. Implementation of the universal design features will help making the way finding intuitive for all. Appropriate use of assistive technology will facilitate the users of the mall to know the space better. An important consideration was how to make the change from a retailing space where efficiencies of stocking, turnover and throughput of customers take precedence, to something more akin to a social space, where people gather and meet out of choice rather than necessity.
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layout
In this layout, There is a passage in the middle, and the sections lie on its side. This way one can quickly use this middle passage and easily scan through the space and select the items he/she requires This will aid the visually disabled people also as each section is clearly demarcated. The movement of a person in the section and exiting the section is similar everywhere. So a visually disabled person will not miss any section. At the turning points between each section tactile signages can be placed which give the information about forthcoming section. Once the user gets used to this pattern he can just browse through the place if he is in a hurry. The sections being slightly enclosed, can retain the smells of that particular section The fans or the air blowers can be placed in a way so as it aids the visually disabled person. (E.g. As he moves away from the fans/ air blower he will get a cue that he is moving out of the section he is presently in)
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detailing the layout
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detailing the concept
Tactile Map of the space along the wall of the counter Tactile Path leading the way to the counter
A tactile 3D Model of the entire place will enabled the visually disabled as well as the children to experience the space through touch.
Fragrant flowers at the entrance will provide a locational cue for the visually disabled
Entrance
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detailing the concept
Fixed Table Concrete flooring around the table which will act as a barrier informer Grass Fixed Chairs
Food Court Space left for the wheel chairs
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detailing the concept
Directional Signage
Benches
Space left for the wheel chair users Water Fountain The soung of the water can be used as a locational cue
Garden Tactile Pavings
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detailing the concept
Barrier informer before the ramp starts Different textured tiles which indicate that there is a signage to the left Tactile Signage
Tactile Pavings
Pathway
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detailing the concept
Sections dividing the space
Racks
Textured and bright coloured tiles which guide the visually disabled through the space
Interiors of the Mall
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detailing the concept
The left side of the coloured strip will have a textured circle in it, which will help them in orientation Rack
Brightly colored, textured strip fixed to the rack
Tactile map of the place at the left
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Tactile Signage
Entrance
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detailing the concept
Auditory information about the contents of the section
Separate space to keep the trolleys , so as they do not clutter the space
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scenario
Nitin bhai is a professor in a reputed art college. He is visually disabled but that does not stop him from going outdoors and playing with his grand daughter Meenu. Meenu has come first in her class and so Nitin bhai wants to give her a surprise gift. He knows that Meenu loves eating chocolates, and so he decides to buy a chocolate for her.
Nitin bhai goes to a nearby shopping center.
He reaches the entrance of the place. He listens to the sound of the water fountain to his left.
He hears an audio informing about a tactile signage to his left.
Nitin bhai checks the signage and reads it. Then he comes to know that there is a tactile map to his right.
All he needs to do is, follow the tactile pavings.
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scenario
He goes near the tactile map and feels it with his hands. He keeps his baggage at the baggage This way he gets to experience the entire space of the counter. shopping center with the help of touch. Now he knows that there is a garden, a straight pathway to the shop and a baggage counter right next to the place he was standing.
He feels a slight bump on the floor with his cane and becomes cautious now. He knows that this bump is nothing but a barrier informer which is usually followed by a ramp or stairs.
He checks the tactile map which is inside the mall. He comes to know that chocolates were in section number one. He also checks the location of that section. pallavi kulkarni < diploma project > national institute of design
And proceeds along the tactile path, to the main entrance of the mall.
He takes a trolley from the trolley counter (in case he wants to buy anything else), and keeps his stick with the employee at the trolley counter.
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scenario
The staff at the shop give him an ear set.
He looks for the textured floor and the circle in the path helps him know that he is at the left side of the shop.
He then follows the textured floor tiles and goes to section1.
Then he checks the list of items that section. This list is in Braille.
The bright yellow textured strip on the racks help him move about.
He checks the different brands in the racks
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scenario
He checks the different brands in the racks.
He goes to the payment counter and pays for the chocolate.
To find the price of the chocolate, he presses the button on the shelf
While leaving the shop, he hears the sound of the fountain and understands that he is at the exit.
pallavi kulkarni < diploma project > national institute of design
He gets to hear the name of the flavor, its weight and price. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cadburys Temptation, Price Rs 42/Apricot Flavor wt 75 gms.â&#x20AC;?
He decides to spend some time in the garden before going home.
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final concept
Tactile Map Tactile Signage Tactile Pavings A straight walk way from the main entrance to the entrance of the grocery shop makes it easy for everyone to find their way. A tactile signage is placed at the entrance. The tactile map is located in an area where a visually disabled person can take his/her time to read and understand it. Handrails coloured in bright colours run along the important paths. There ramp is marked with bright coloured textured strip to aid the people with low vision.
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final concept
Handrails Ramp
Tactile Path
Different texture to symbolise that there is a signage to the left
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final concept
Tactile Maps provided at the entrance of the shop as well as inside the shop to help the visually disabled experience the entire space with the help of touch. The map inside the shop will also give them an idea of the contents of the sections.
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final concept
The baggage counter will provide tokens with braille embossed on it. The counter will be manned by a visually disabled person. The racks inside the couter will be marked in braille. Handrails will be provided which start from the counter to the entrance of the mall.
The Washroom doors will have tactile signages on them
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final concept
Antiskid flooring, and directional tactile pavings
Brights coloured textured tiles used in the interiors of the mall which help the visually disabled as well as the people with low vision to move about in the space
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final concept
Space for displaying advertisements
Contents of the section in braille as well as visuals
Handrails provided in between two section. This helps the visually disabled orient themselves with the layout of the sections
Bright coloured edges to aid people with low vision
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final concept
Braille stickers or lables pasted on every tray of the racks
Bright coloured buttons which are easily traceable with the hands, are provided on all the trays to give details about the contents of that tray.
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final concept
Payment counter
Bright coloured textured strip which runs along the racks
Handrails are provided along the payment counter for orientation purpose. A separate section for the trolleys is provided to organise them properly and avoid unnecessary clutter. Trolley counter pallavi kulkarni < diploma project > national institute of design
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final concept
Space left in between two benches for wheel chair users Clearly demarkated path
A small garden space for people to sit and chat with their friends and family. A clearly demarkated pathway with tactile pavings for ease of use for the visually disabled. Benches with provision of wheel chairs to fit in. Brightly coloured flowers along the pathway so as people with low vision can enjoy the beauty of the garden. The sound of the water fountain can be used to provide locational cues to the visually disabled.
Bright coloured edges and rim of the fountain
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conclusion
This project was an attempt to look into the lives of the differently abled people and understand their world. This was a completely new experience for me and has definitely widened my horizons of thinking. Every human being live has the right to live a life with self esteem and dignity, even those of us, who are differently abled. Disability is not a phenomenon that affects others only, but, a phase that we all pass through, in cycles of time. Accessibility of public places is a major issue in India. Our built environments unfortunately have many barriers disallowing many of us to carry out our basic daily routine. The area around us is full of barriers and obstacles which affect a persons opportunities, chances of employment, chances of accessing services, etc. I took this issue up as a challenge. Working on a project individually, planning the process from conception to completion, meeting people from different walks of life was a great learning experience. User centered design was the core of this project, and learning to think like the users and predicting their behavior was crucial because their perceptions are entirely different from those of the sighted individuals. Studying their interaction techniques in known as well as unknown spaces was an exciting experience. Making careful notes of these findings helped me analyze every aspect properly. Observing the users carry out their daily activities helped me come up with proper questionnaires for further studies. A consolidation of all these findings helped me come up with the final design guidelines, which was then transformed into the final design of the concept. It is very crucial to sensitize the sighted people about the fact that blindness is just a sensory deprivation, and that segregation of the human beings based on sensory deprivation is completely incorrect. There is a need to integrate the visually disabled in the main stream, and make them aware of their rights to accessibility. This project is a small attempt to sensitize people about this right and thus reinforce interaction amongst them.
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bibliography Books:
Research Papers:
G, Revez. Psychology and Art of the Blind. Christopherson, Jon. Universal Design.
Marson, James. Golledge, Reginald. “Towards an Accessible City: Removing Functional Barriers for the Blind and Vision Impaired: A Case for Auditory Signs. 2000.
Barshay, Helen. Empathy- Touchstone of self fulfillment.
Massof, Robert. “Auditory Assistive devices for the blind”.2003. 2006.
Fernandez, Gunawathy, Fernandez, Claudia, Mani, MNG, Tesni, Sian. See with the blind.
Lutz, Robert. “Prototyping and Evaluation of Landcons: Auditory Objects that Support Wayfinding for Blind Travelers”.
Wiesner, Jerome. Proceedings of International Congress on Technology and blindness.
Shin-ichiro Iwamiya, Katsuya Yamauchi, Kousuke Shiraishi, Masayuki Takada, Masaru Sato. “Design Specifications of Audio-guidance Systems for the Blind in Public Spaces”
Rehabilitation Council of India. Status of disability in India 2000.
Stone, Juliet. Mobility for special needs.
Schmitz, Michael , Baus, JÄorg , Schmidt, Sarah. “Towards Anthropomorphized Objects: A Novel Interaction Metaphor for Instrumented Spaces”.
Balaram, S. “Universal Design and the Majority World”. Universal Design Handbook.
Kulyukin, Vladimir. Robot-Assisted Shopping for the Blind: Haptic and Locomotor Spaces in Supermarkets.
Preiser, Wolfgang, Ostroff, Elaine. Universal Design Handbook.
David Becker, Sean Durkin, Micah Garnett, Brian McBurney, Patrick Mulhern. “Blind-Accessible Shopping System Design”. 2006.
Punani, Bhushan. Visual Impairment Handbook.
Balaram, S. Thinking Design.
Websites:
Holmes-Siedle , James. Barrier-Free Design: A Manual for Building Designers and Managers
http://portal.acm.org/dl.cfm http://www.senseintindia.org/htmls/bpa_ahm.html http://www.wikipedia.org/ http://www.fordfound.org/ http://www.barrierfree.org/
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