The development of information and communication services and devices for the visually impaired

Transcription

1 vember, The evelopment of information an communication services an evices for the visually impaire Marko Periša, Ivan Jovović, Ivan Forenbacher Department of Information an Communication Traffic University of Zagreb, Faculty of Transport an Traffic Sciences Zagreb, Republic of Croatia marko.perisa@fpz.hr, ivan.jovovic@fpz.hr, ivan.forenbacher@fpz.hr Abstract The availability an full functionality of mobile evices represent one of the basic principles of universal esign for the visually impaire. Navigation applications for the users must also be customize an are available to the users nees. In this paper, the software an harware characteristics of the currently most use mobile evices were analyze. Applications for managing an irecting the blin an visually impaire transport network have been analyze in terms of etermining the accuracy of the location where the users are locate. The applications that are the most common among the users accoring to the Croatian Association for Promotion an Development of Tiflotechnic (HUPRT) were use. This sample of subjects has been mae in Zagreb where accoring to ata there are 95 visually impaire people. To conclue, the recommenations have been mae for the evelopment of information an communication services an mobile evices for the visually impaire. Keywors-assistive technology, visually impaire, transport network, IC services I. INTRODUCTION To activate the blin an visually impaire person (user) in the transport system, it is necessary to ensure access to all amenities that surroun the person himself or herself. Mobility an accessibility are the essential conitions for the introuction of blin an visually impaire people to everyay life. Aaptation of the environment inclues access to the whole functionality of the usage of mobile evices. Scientific literature in this area is still at the early stage, so the recommenations for the evelopment of the esign of the mobile evices exclusively can be foun through the technical specifications of iniviual manufacturers an conceptual proposals [], [], [3]. Scientific project, which is solely base on the recommenations for the esign an evelopment of applications for visually impaire people was efine by Ray Project [4]. Virtual mobile operator proviing mobile services an participates in the prouction an istribution of mobile evices for the visually impaire. [5] Development of applications for user navigation are base solely on (Global Positioning System) technology [6], [7], [], [9]. The problem, which occurs when using the application, is to etermine the exact location of the user. In this paper, the most commonly use applications for accurate guiing of the users from the starting point of movement to the estination have been analyze. Apart from these preliminary analyses, there are also basic functions of the evice through the most common operating systems available. II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY To collect the ata (opinions an attitues of users) the metho of interviewing was applie within people who resie in the City of Zagreb. The survey was planne to be applie on a sample of 75 users, who move an live in the City of Zagreb. The survey has involve 44 users, which is % of the total figure. Representative sample has been efine accoring to the Croatian Blin Union an the Zagreb Association of the Blin Persons of accoring to the number, which is 7, of Blin an Visually Impaire (significant amblyopia) people employe in the City of Zagreb. The poll has involve 0 users who are employe, which make 59% of the total number of employees, so this sample is consiere to be representative. This sample has been selecte because these customers are moving aroun the city of Zagreb aily. Users participate inepenently in the survey via online form, an via phone in the form of interviews. Mobile terminal evice is use by 43 users, as Figure shows. More on the web: More on the web: Are you using the mobile evice? 43 Figure The representation of mobile evices The st Research Conference In Technical Disciplines

2 vember, Some of the users use more than one mobile evice, which the etaile figure shows. The picture shows figure representation accoring to manufacturers of mobile terminal evices The representation of mobile evice manufacturers % Input evice of your mobile evice? 6% Keyboar Combination 7% Figure 4 - Share of representation of technology input units of mobile evices Figure The representation of the manufacturers of the mobile evice is accoring to the ata, the most commonly use company with the surveye users (97 users). This company is among the firsts to evelop applications that help blin an visually impaire people to easily use their mobile terminal evices. The applications also have very goo language support, which is to many users an important parameter. users use mobile terminal evices inepenently (using all major functionality of mobile evices), while 3 of them have some ifficulties when using. In percentage, these figures are shown in figure 3 (4% of users can inepenently use all important functions, 6% are the others). Inepenently usage of mobile evices In the implementation of the analysis of the application for control an routing, there were 6 users from the Association HUPRT who use mobile navigation application in their transport aroun the city of Zagreb (Figure 5) [0]. The usage of applications for guiaince an irection 9% % 6% 4% Figure 3 Inepenent usage of all major functions Input unit is an important parameter for evaluation of the usage of mobile evices because nowaays we are facing an increasing tren of evelopment options as input units. Blin an visually impaire people mostly use the keyboar as an input Unit ( of them), while 3 users use option, 9 of them use these two features (Figure 4). Figure 5 - The proportion of users who use applications for navigation The problem is that the navigation are using technology to locate users an in some applications, there are many large errors in etermining the exact positions. People commonly use Loastone application, which is free, an accoring to analysis, there are the smallest eviation in etermining the exact position of the users. III. ANALYSIS OF THE AVAILABILITY AND ADAPTABILITY OF MOBILE TERMINAL DEVICES In the stuy, in aition to users of application for managing, were also other users from Association HUPRT, with the aim to evaluate the availability an aaptability of mobile evices. Applications for managing an irecting the blin an visually impaire people were analyze in terms of etermining the accuracy of the location where the user was locate. The applications an mobile terminal evices that are mostly represente among the users accoring to ata from the Association HUPRT [0] were use for these. The st Research Conference In Technical Disciplines

3 vember, A. Harware an software features Besies accuracy in etermining the location, Operating Systems for mobile terminal evices, types of 3 receivers, input-output evices, an the ability to score the importance of voice control applications an mobile evices were analyze (Table I). Users have rate evices by the graes of the importance from (not important) to 5 (extremely important). TABLE I. Device Moel E5 6 Classic HTC Mozart Sony Ericsso n Xperia mini pro C7 HTC Vario 4 OPERATIO N SYSTEM Symbian OS 9. Symbian OS 9. Microsoft Winows Phone 7 Anroi OS, v4 Belle OS Winows Mobile 6.5 OVERVIEW OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MOBILE DEVICES [] APPLICATIO N Loastone Loastone navigation Intersection Navigation WalkyTalky MobileGeo RECEIVE R extern Iblue 737A BT- QXT 66 channels Integrate, BT- QXT 66 channels Integrate Prestigio Bluetooth INPUT UNITS Keyboar Keyboar Combine OUTPU T UNITS Talks Talks Voice navigatio n TalkBack Mobile speak Mobile speak Accoring to the analyze ata, the most important etail for users accoring to harware is the keyboar as the possibility of input unit. As output unit (voice), TTS applications 4 such as Mobile Speak, TalkBack, Talks an those that are integrate into the operating system are mostly use. Operating systems, which were analyze, are important in terms of the accessibility of applications, which users use. Applications were analyze accoring to the parameters liste in Table II. Users have evaluate the importance of certain functionality ( - I on t care, 5 - very important). Loastone - application is free of charge, in fact this is the open source version of navigation application, which is specially esigne for visually impaire users. The application works with Symbian Series 60 platform, an it can be connecte to various moules either external or those that come built into the mobile evice. Loastone oes not use reay-mae for movement an navigation, but the user shoul efine the an routes of movement, which can be subsequently sent to the Loastone Central Server so that other users can benefit from alreay prouce an routes. Work applications have the ability to work offline or online. If online it requires a connection to the Internet, so there is an option for the en user to ecie to use or not. The avantage of this application is the language support (Croatian language), an functioning with Symbian reaers incluing Talks an Mobile Speak. 3 4 receiver Receiver of Global Positioning System signal Application to change the text to speech Winows Phone 7 application that has the option of choosing ( Maps, or OpenStreetMaps OpenCycleMaps) to use. The application also supports offline / online moe, which is extremely important for users (social aspect). A large number of features such as the ability of inepenent (iniviual) input of points of interest (import KML an Geocaching LOC file), efining an emergency call, which can be in the form of text messages or contacts, sharing of efine routes through Facebook account, or by sening an . TABLE II. Langua ge support - CRO Moe (offline/ online) Map type Automa tic etectio n of use (peestr ian / vehicle) Voice control Points of Interest entry (POI) Starting metho Multitas king Metho of creating moveme nt routes Ability to automat ically create return routes REVIEW OF ANALYSED FEATURES FOR NAVIGATIONAL APPLICATIONS AND THEIR ACCESSIBILITY [] LOADS TONE OUTDO OR NAVIG ATION MOBIL E GEO INTER SECTI ON EXPLO RER NOKIA MAPS WALK YTALK Y Bing Open Street Maps Open Cycle Maps TomTo m ue to extern - ue to extern -a Extern (via compute r) The st Research Conference In Technical Disciplines - 0 -

4 vember, Mobile Geo - application can be installe on any mobile evice supporte by Winows Mobile platform. Mobile Geo works irectly with the Mobile Speak reaer for smart phones an allows customers to use mobile phones with builtin moules or to combine them with other commercial moules. Using solutions evelope in the Senero Group, Mobile Geo gives great portability an flexibility in proviing a variety of information to the users, by using the installe foler in the memory of a mobile terminal evice an at the same time allowing the evelopment an 00 per cent control of new routes or upgraing the existing ones. Intersection Explorer - an application that is exclusively esigne for blin an visually impaire users, it oesn't have a function of specifying the routes for the users, but provies information about the location of the intersection for them. Working as 's Street View tool, an allows users to virtually explore the location an orientation using panoramic images taken at street level. Blin or visually impaire people can research surrouning with the ability to facilitate the perception of the environment (traffic junction). an application that is also esigne for visually impaire people, works together with the application Intersection Explorer (Anroi). Purpose of the application is guiing an irecting the user to the intene target using a map. The application allows the users to view points of interest, but there is no possibility of their entries. Maps - an application that is use mostly by newer generation of mobile evices ( Belle OS an Anna OS), but its foler is now available for ownloa for the ios an Anroi operating system. Maps allows you to store an share routes provie by the users via social networks or ing. Detaile overview of points of interest an their input are efine accoring to users nees. The analysis of applications show the eficiencies such as lack of automatic creating feeback routes of movement an language voice navigation in the Croatian language unless the user oes not have installe the voice application. Way to launch an configure some applications is very complicate for a blin or visually impaire person who wants to use the application. Automatic etection moe, for example, shows that, if one user shares his or her movement on foot an then got into the vehicle of public transport the application oes not provie any etails or change. B. Applicative solutions for guiing an irecting users Applications (MobileGeo, Loastone an ) have very small errors in etermining the location of the users (figure along the application name) on open intersections, which can be seen from Table 3. The work of Loastone an MobileGeo applications is base on the input of points of interest (POI) for each user to iniviually create, prouce, an coorinate his or her position accoring to his or her nees. This means that such applications are relatively empty, ie, they on't have any content which makes user very insecure. TABLE III. THE ERROR ANALYSIS OF NAVIGATIONAL APPLICATION AND GUIDANCE THROUGH BUSY INTERS [] Location error of peestrian crossing [m] Error leaing through the intersection [m] Maksimir street - Svetice Street of King Zvonimir - Harambašićeva street NV 0,3 5 NV 0, 0,3 5 Street of King Zvonimira - Šubićeva street Zagrebačka street Street of Dragutina Golika 0, 0,3 5 0, 0,3 5 On a busy intersection of King Zvonimir street an Harambašić street the applications Loastone an MobileGeo haven't been able to evaluate (mark NV) because they were very close to all points of interest, a large ot ensity is a problem in etermining the exact information about the location of the user, an sometimes the inability to etermine the exact location, as state here. Navigational use by applications have ha a problem to upate the information, ie those haven't got any new information about streets or new amenities. These have ha large iscrepancies in etermining the position of users (, Openstreet, Opencycle ). Maps which were use in applications MobileGeo an have ha upate ata an high accuracy in etermining the location of the user. Busy intersection of King Zvonimir an Šubićeva street were evaluate with very low scores, where users pointe out that they alone woul not be able to hanle. Peestrian crossings are set at an angle which is also a problem for reaing navigational routes for peestrians. Examples of peestrian routes of iniviual are shown in Figures 6 a, b, c an. From the isplaye images it is evient that there are no marke peestrian trails, so the navigation has to be one by roa users. Performance of applications on the busy intersection of Maksimir - Svetice in't show any larger eviations. When using Loastone an MobileGeo applications, efine points of interest that were place at each site crossing the intersection were shown first, as in Figure 6. The st Research Conference In Technical Disciplines

5 vember, a. b. c.. Figure 6 Traffic intersection of King Zvonimir an Šubićeva streets (Bing Maps) ( ) ( Maps) in Svetice Re ots are showing the entere points of interest that occur when a user is in nee to use application for managing an irecting. Errors in location when using Loastone an Maps application are 0.5 [m], while in MobileGeo application error is [m]. The analysis of applications in real environment, it can be conclue that their use of Loastone, an MobileGeo applications an error occurs but the error is not large, so it can be sai that the error woul not jeoparize the safety of the person who is using the application. The problem can occur when the negative effects of parameters affecting the etermination of a user's location using navigation, which may at some point, raise an error. Lack of applications is the recognition of the intersection, so if the user efines the route of movement an approaching the busy intersection that has no soun or tactile signals, the person can lose a sense of inepenence, perception of safety an orientation. IV. CONCLUSION In this research, the basic principles of "universal esign" were use an the following segments were analyze: applications for guiing an irecting the blin an visually impaire; customization an basic functions of mobile evices; communication technology of small coverage area (Personal area); major equipment traffic intersection in the City by the elements of accessibility an soun signaling; the importance an ientification of relevant traffic an eucation an rehabilitation parameters in function of safe movement aroun traffic an network moels of assistive technology. Qualitative application of these aspects provie a greater egree of security an inepenence of movement when the blin or visually impaire use transport network, which also contributes to a higher egree of orientation an perception of the situation in which the user is locate. In the analysis of the available applications is notice the variations in the user's location using receivers (external an integrate into mobile terminal evices). Variations in location of blin or visually impaire people can compromise safety an lea to ealy consequences or injuries. Application Loastone prove to be the best evaluate, in terms of getting the most accurate information an simplicity of usage. The analysis of mobile evices we have evaluate aaptability of blin an visually impaire people an the importance of basic functionalities. Recommenations for the evelopment of mobile evices are reflecte through the existence of tactile keyboar compare to newer solutions, or touch keyboar. Applicative solutions allow greater aaptability for visually impaire people (accurate information, voice information, easier navigation through the functionality of the evice, etc.). REFERENCES [] Concept phones. (0, February 4th, January st). Concepts of mobile phones for blin users [Professional Website]. Available: [] Concept phones. (0, February 4th, August th). Concepts of mobile phones for visually impaire users [Professional Website]. Available: [3] J. Nilabh. (, April th). Intex launches mobile phone for visually impaire [Web portal]. Available: [4] [5] Project Ray (3, October 0th). The smartphone an services for the blin & visually impaire [Official website of Project Ray]. Available: [6] Oin Mobile (3, October 0th). A Cell Phone Service For The Blin An Persons With Low Vision [Official website of Oine Mobile company]. Available: [7] M. A. Hersh, M. A. Johnson, Assistive Technology for Visually Impaire an Blin People, Springer, Lonon, Unite Kingom, 0. [] K. Kurachi, S. Kitakaze, Y. Fujishima, N. Watanabe, M. Kamata, Integrate peestrian guiance system using mobile evice, th Worl Congress on ITS, Enabling Choices in Transportation, ITS America, San Francisco, USA, 06th-0th vember 05., CD proceeings paper 35. [9] K. a, Y. Matsumoto, H. Ogino, H. Matsui, Analysis of effective sentences of voice navigation system for the visually impaire base on their attributes an locations, th Worl Congress on ITS, Enabling Choices in Transportation,ITS America, San Francisco, USA, 06th-0th vember 05., CD proceeings paper 394. [0] H. Ohkubo, Y. Okamoto, K. Kisi, Fiel test of Peestrian information an communication Systems (PICS) using Mobile phones, 0th Worl Congress on ITS, Solutions for toay an tomorrow, ITS Spain, Mari, Spain, 6th-th vember 03., CD proceeings paper 9. [] HUPRT (3, October 0th). Information about new tools an technologies for the blin an visually impaire people [Official website of Croatian Association for Promotion an Development of Tiflotechnic]. Available: [] M. Periša, Dynamic leaership an routing of blin an visually impaire people in traffic ( Dinamičko vođenje i usmjeravanje slijepih i slabovinih osoba u prometu ), octoral thesis, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Transport an Traffic Sciences, Zagreb, Republic of Croatia, 3. The st Research Conference In Technical Disciplines - 0 -