Shape Changing Haptic Navigation Interface For Vision Impairment

Author: Imperial College London
Published: 2024/12/10
Publication Type: Observational Study
Peer-Reviewed: Yes
Topic: Blindness and Vision Loss - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis Introduction Main Insights, Updates

Synopsis: The new device is believed to be the most advanced navigation tech of its kind for people with visual impairment.

Why it matters: The Shape device introduces a groundbreaking navigation technology that enables people with visual impairment to navigate as effectively as sighted individuals. Developed by researchers from Imperial College London, in collaboration with MakeSense Technology and the charity Bravo Victor, the Shape device uses haptic perception, bending to indicate direction and straightening when the user is correctly oriented, to leverage humans' innate ability to interpret shapes through touch. The study showed that visually impaired participants using Shape performed navigation tasks as well as sighted participants and significantly better than with vibration technology, highlighting its potential to make life-changing improvements in mobility. This technology addresses the limitations of existing aids like white canes, guide dogs, and vibration feedback, offering a more intuitive and less tiring alternative, and is poised to revolutionize navigation assistance for the visually impaired with plans for real-world outdoor navigation integration - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

A groundbreaking piece of navigation technology that uses the ability to sense information through touch can help people with visual impairment perform a location task as well as sighted people, according to new Imperial-led research.

Main Item

Researchers from Imperial College London, working with the company MakeSense Technology and the charity Bravo Victor, have developed a shape-changing device called Shape that helps people with visual impairment navigate through haptic perception - the way people understand information about objects through touch. The device, which looks like a torch, bends to indicate where a person needs to move and straightens when the user is facing the correct direction.

In a study published in Nature Scientific Reports, researchers tested how well people with visual impairment were able to locate targets in a 3D virtual reality (VR) space using Shape and vibration feedback technology - which is commonly used to help visually impaired people navigate. Sighted individuals were also recruited for the study to locate the targets in the VR space using only their natural vision.

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This image consists of two labeled side-by-side photos depicting participants interacting with a VR system in a lab environment. Left Image: A visually impaired (VI) participant is engaging in a task with a device in hand. They are wearing a chest tracker strapped to their upper body and are holding a device equipped with a device tracker. In the background, there are HTC Vive base stations, which are positioned on stands and used for tracking. A seated individual (mostly out of frame) is observing or assisting. The environment appears to be a well-lit research lab with desks, shelves, and equipment. Right Image: A sighted participant is performing a task while wearing an HTC Vive headset for virtual reality. The participant has a chest tracker and is holding a device in one hand, which also has a device tracker attached. HTC Vive base stations are visible in the background for motion tracking. The participant is standing in a similar lab setting, with additional equipment like shelving and cables visible. Both images highlight the use of virtual reality equipment and motion-tracking devices for research purposes, with clear contrasts between the visually impaired and sighted participant tasks - Image Credit: Dr Ad Spiers/Imperial College London.

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Dr Ad Spiers, lead researcher for the study, from Imperial's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, said:

"The exciting thing about this study is we've managed to demonstrate that Shape can help people with visual impairment perform a navigation task as well as sighted people. This is something that we haven't seen before with other navigation devices."

"Shape is unusual because it uses our ability to understand information through touch in a way that goes beyond vibration. Humans have an innate ability to feel and interpret shapes through our hands, with very little concentration. Exploiting this allows us to create a device that is simple to learn and isn't tiring to use."

The study compared the results of 10 participants with visual impairment and 10 sighted participants, testing their ability to locate targets as quickly as possible in a controlled indoor environment, measuring the time taken to locate virtual targets and the efficiency in locating these targets.

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The image shows a hand holding a device with a modular design. The device consists of a black rectangular attachment at the top, a flexible white accordion-like joint in the middle, and a cylindrical handle at the bottom. A tablet or phone mount is attached to the handle, with a screen visible at an angle. The background is a wooden floor, and the perspective suggests the person is standing while holding the device - Image Credit: Dr Ad Spiers/Imperial College London.

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The trial found that there was no significant difference in the performance between visually impaired participants using Shape and sighted participants using only natural vision. It also found that participants with visual impairment located targets significantly faster using Shape than with vibration technology. Feedback showed that participants with visual impairment preferred using Shape to vibration technology.

It is hoped that the device, which is believed to be the most advanced of its kind, could be the future of navigation technology for visual impairment, as the Shape device has notable advantages over current tools used to guide people with visual impairment.

Dr Robert Quinn, CEO of MakeSense Technology, said:

"The impressive results from this study demonstrate the enormous potential of this technology to make life changing improvements in mobility for people with visual impairment."

"Building upon the research described in this paper, MakeSense is developing a blind way-finding product which leverages the latest advancements in spatial artificial intelligence and computer vision without the need for interpretive training. We are aiming for our first product to be available from the end of 2025."

Currently, individuals with visual impairment most commonly use aids such as white canes or guide dogs. While guide dogs are often effective, they require expensive expert training and can cost thousands of pounds per year to keep. White canes enable navigation through a process of elimination by telling users where not to go, rather than where they should go. This process limits a user's ability to navigate freely in complex environments.

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Mounted on the side of the handle is a device holder (likely for a tablet or smartphone), with a screen visible, positioned at an angle. A wire is connected to the base of the handle, indicating that the device may be powered or connected to another system. The hand holding the device is visible, and the person is wearing a bracelet on their wrist. The background is a wooden floor, and the image is taken from a slightly elevated angle, showing the device's layout clearly - Image Credit: Dr Ad Spiers/Imperial College London.

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Recent developments with technology have tended to focus on using auditory interfaces, which give audio cues such as "turn left at the next corner", or vibration feedback, which alerts a user through vibration patterns that indicate where to move.

Auditory interfaces can prevent people from hearing important warning sounds of imminent hazards and can dampen users' ability to engage fully with the world. Vibration feedback can lead to numbness after prolonged periods of use and studies have shown users can become quickly irritated and distracted by frequent vibration sensations.

In order to test the performance of Shape against vibration technology and natural sight in a controlled environment, the researchers designed a simulation of real-world navigation that reduced the possibility of significant variation between experiments.

In a real-world navigation scenario, it is expected that there would be significant variation in conditions due to changes in weather and the presence of other pedestrians or objects. It is also expected that there will often be multiple potential target options in a real-world scenario rather than the single targets which were presented individually in the experiment.

Further research is needed to understand how the Shape device performs in more variable real-world scenarios.

The Shape device was developed working with MakeSense Technology, a startup company which was co-founded at Imperial by Dr Robert Quinn - an Imperial PhD graduate in Mechanical Engineering. The company received support in its early stages from Imperial's thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, which aims to develop innovative solutions with the potential to change the world for better.

Following the completion of the Shape study, MakeSense has worked on developing the technology further to be used for real-world outdoor navigation. It is hoped that the device could be ready for practical use in real-world environments in the coming years.

The research published in Nature Scientific Reports was supported by funding from Innovate UK's SMART Grant, which was awarded to MakeSense Technology Ltd, Bravo Victor, and Imperial College London.

'A shape-changing haptic navigation interface for vision impairment' by Adam J. Spiers et al. is published in Nature Scientific Reports.

Editorial Insights, Analysis, and Developments

The development and successful testing of the Shape device mark a significant milestone in the pursuit of inclusive and innovative technologies. By bridging the navigation gap between visually impaired and sighted individuals, this breakthrough has the potential to profoundly enhance mobility and independence for those with visual impairments. As researchers continue to refine and expand the capabilities of Shape, it is imperative that policymakers, industry leaders, and advocacy groups collaborate to ensure widespread accessibility and integration of this technology into everyday life, ultimately fostering a more equitable and inclusive society - Disabled World (DW).

Attribution/Source(s):
This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its significant relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Imperial College London, and published on 2024/12/10, the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Imperial College London can be contacted at imperial.ac.uk. NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.