Abstract
Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) is virtual
environment software designed to improve real world navigation skills in the
blind. Using only audio based cues and set within the context of a video game
metaphor, users gather relevant spatial information regarding a building's
layout. This allows the user to develop an accurate spatial cognitive map of a
large-scale three-dimensional space that can be manipulated for the purposes of
a real indoor navigation task. After game play, participants are then assessed
on their ability to navigate within the target physical building represented in
the game. Preliminary results suggest that early blind users were able to
acquire relevant information regarding the spatial layout of a previously
unfamiliar building as indexed by their performance on a series of navigation
tasks. These tasks included path finding through the virtual and physical
building, as well as a series of drop off tasks. We find that the immersive and
highly interactive nature of the AbES software appears to greatly engage the
blind user to actively explore the virtual environment. Applications of this
approach may extend to larger populations of visually impaired individuals.