MoVE: Mobiltiy Training in Haptic Virtual Environment

The proposed MoVE system is a virtual environment for shape learning and mobility training of the blind. Our goal is to provide an environment where a visually impaired person would be able to form cognitive maps of a new place they might visit in future. Cognitive maps are mental models of the relative locations and attribute phenomena of spatial environments. Ability to form cognitive maps is one of the innate gifts of nature. Absence of this ability can have crippling effect especially on the visually impaired. The sense of touch becomes the primary source of forming cognitive maps for the visually impaired. Once formed, cognitive maps provide precise mapping of the physical world so that a visually impaired individual can successfully navigate with minimal assistance. However, traditional mobility training is time consuming, and it is very difficult for the blind to express or revisit the cognitive maps formed after a training session is over. The proposed haptic environment will allow the visually impaired individual to express cognitive maps as 3D surface maps, with two PHANToM force-feedback devices guiding them. The 3D representation can be fine-tuned by the care-giver or trainer, and then felt again by the visually impaired in order to form precise cognitive maps. In addition to voice commentary, a library of pre-existing shapes familiar to the blind will provide orientation and proprioceptive haptic-cues during navigation. A graphical display of cognitive maps will provide feedback to the care-giver or trainer. As the haptic environment can be easily stored and retrieved, the MoVE system will also encourage navigation by the blind at their own convenience, and with family members. Apart from providing a Virtual Reality (VR) tool for mobility training of the blind, the proposed research will address the following important, unresolved research issues: a) How are 3D mobility maps formed among the sighted, congenital blind, and the late-blind?; b) Is there a fundamental difference in forming 3D cognitive maps among the sighted, late blind and congenital blind?; c) How can the sense of touch and force feedback devices be used for creation, manipulation, and fine tuning of cognitive maps? d) Is it possible to form cognitive maps using hierarchical navigation in a haptic environment? e) Are tactile maps with voice-feedback effective in exploring 3D shapes and forming cognitive maps?, f) Is it possible to scale the haptic environment felt using the force-feedback device, to actual physical-layout of the building, that is, are cognitive maps scalable?; and g) The difference in cognitive maps formed by the blind using primarily the left hand, right hand, or both hands in a haptic environment.