Assessment of Indoor Route-finding Technology for People who are Visually Impaired

Chrastil

et al. 2014

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

For profoundly blind individuals, navigating in an unfamiliar building can represent a significant challenge. We investigated the use of an audio-based, virtual environment called Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) that can be explored for the purposes of learning the layout of an unfamiliar, complex indoor environment. Furthermore, we compared two modes of interaction with AbES. In one group, blind participants implicitly learned the layout of a target environment while playing an exploratory, goal-directed video game. By comparison, a second group was explicitly taught the same layout following a standard route and instructions provided by a sighted facilitator. As a control, a third group interacted with AbES while playing an exploratory, goal-directed video game however, the explored environment did not correspond to the target layout. Following interaction with AbES, a series of route navigation tasks were carried out in the virtual and physical building represented in the training environment to assess the transfer of acquired spatial information. We found that participants from both modes of interaction were able to transfer the spatial knowledge gained as indexed by their successful route navigation performance. This transfer was not apparent in the control participants. Most notably, the game-based learning strategy was also associated with enhanced performance when participants were required to find alternate routes and short cuts within the target building suggesting that a ludic-based training approach may provide for a more flexible mental representation of the environment. Furthermore, outcome comparisons between early and late blind individuals suggested that greater prior visual experience did not have a significant effect on overall navigation performance following training. Finally, performance did not appear to be associated with other factors of interest such as age, gender, and verbal memory recall. We conclude that the highly interactive and immersive exploration of the virtual environment greatly engages a blind user to develop skills akin to positive near transfer of learning. Learning through a game play strategy appears to confer certain behavioral advantages with respect to how spatial information is acquired and ultimately manipulated for navigation.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual environments for the transfer of navigation skills in the blind: a comparison of directed instruction vs. video game based learning approaches

Chrastil

et al. 2014

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

“…Despite this training, learning the spatial layout of a large scale complex environment and developing strategies to promote the mental manipulation of spatial information (for example, to devise an alternate route or find a shortcut for more efficient travel) remain difficult skills to master, particularly in younger individuals with early onset blindness (Cornoldi et al, 1979, 2009; Vecchi et al, 2004). A number of novel assistive technologies and electronic travel aids (such as sensory canes, GPS based travel aids, and sensory substitution devices) have been developed to facilitate navigation (Petrie et al, 1996; Loomis et al, 2005; Johnson and Higgins, 2006; Giudice et al, 2007; Kalia et al, 2010; Chebat et al, 2011; see also Roentgen et al, 2012 for a comparative evaluation of assistive devices for navigation). However, it is important to note that typically less emphasis has been placed on using assistive devices for the specific purpose of training spatial cognitive skills that are crucial to promote more efficient travel and independent navigation [for examples of studies in the effort, see (Giudice and Tietz, 2008; Giudice et al, 2010)].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Action video game play and transfer of navigation and spatial cognition skills in adolescents who are blind

Chrastil

et al. 2014

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

For individuals who are blind, navigating independently in an unfamiliar environment represents a considerable challenge. Inspired by the rising popularity of video games, we have developed a novel approach to train navigation and spatial cognition skills in adolescents who are blind. Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) is a software application that allows for the virtual exploration of an existing building set in an action video game metaphor. Using this ludic-based approach to learning, we investigated the ability and efficacy of adolescents with early onset blindness to acquire spatial information gained from the exploration of a target virtual indoor environment. Following game play, participants were assessed on their ability to transfer and mentally manipulate acquired spatial information on a set of navigation tasks carried out in the real environment. Success in transfer of navigation skill performance was markedly high suggesting that interacting with AbES leads to the generation of an accurate spatial mental representation. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between success in game play and navigation task performance. The role of virtual environments and gaming in the development of mental spatial representations is also discussed. We conclude that this game based learning approach can facilitate the transfer of spatial knowledge and further, can be used by individuals who are blind for the purposes of navigation in real-world environments.

“…Despite formal training and the advent of novel assistive technology (e.g. (Chebat, et al, 2011; Giudice, et al, 2007; Kalia, et al, 2010; Lahav, et al, 2011; Loomis, et al, 2005)), it is clear that navigation abilities vary dramatically in the blind population. For example, some individuals completely master this skill and have an excellent sense of their spatial surroundings, while others struggle to maintain their orientation and find their way especially when faced with unfamiliar environments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Real world navigation independence in the early blind correlates with differential brain activity associated with virtual navigation

Halko

et al. 2013

Human Brain Mapping

Navigating is a complex cognitive task that places high demands on spatial abilities, particularly in the absence of sight. Significant advances have been made in identifying the neural correlates associated with various aspects of this skill, however, how the brain is able to navigate in the absence of visual experience remains poorly understood. Furthermore, how neural network activity relates to the wide variability in navigational independence and skill in the blind population is also unknown. Using fMRI, we investigated the neural correlates of audio-based navigation within a large scale, indoor virtual environment in early profoundly blind participants with differing levels of spatial navigation independence (assessed by the Santa Barbara Sense of Direction (SBSoD) scale). Performing path integration tasks in the virtual environment was associated with activation within areas of a core network implicated in navigation. Furthermore, we found a positive relationship between SBSoD scores and activation within right temporal parietal junction (TPJ) during the planning and execution phases of the task. These findings suggest that differential navigational ability in the blind may be related to the utilization of different brain network structures. Further characterization of the factors that influence network activity may have important implications regarding how this skill is taught in the blind community.