ELECTROTACTILE DISPLAY--COMPUTER GRAPHICS FOR THE BLIND

电触显示器——盲人计算机图形学

• 批准号: 2163732
• 负责人: PAUL BACH-Y-RITA
• 金额: $ 21.2万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 1992
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1992-12-01 至 1996-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2163732
• 关键词: blind aid; computer graphics /printing; electrotactile communication; human subject; reading disorder; technology /technique development; visual perception

This research will develop an electrotactile haptic display to present computer graphics to blind persons. The increasing use of computer graphics and pictorial displays (such as the Macintosh and Microsoft Windows environments) presents a major problem for blind computer users. While text output is available through Braille, Optacon (optical-to- tactile converter), or speech synthesis, none of these techniques are suitable for presentation of complex pictorial or spatial information (organizational charts, computer program or process flowcharts, electrical, architectural, or mechanical drawings, three-dimensional graphs, pictures, visual artwork). The proposed investigations will create a flat, smooth tablet with embedded electrodes and external driver circuitry that can electrically display pictorial information from a computer directly to the skin. A blind user will then be able to interpret the properly-formatted percepts that s/he acquires by scanning the display with the fingertips. Exploratory research during Year 1 will extend present electrotactile knowledge to electrical stimulation of touch on the fingertip. Studies will determine the stimulation mode (direct afferent nerve stimulation or indirect electrostatic/mechanical stimulation), electrode geometry, and waveform characteristics that produce strong, repeatable, and comfortable single-point stimulation. Year 2 efforts will develop a small two-dimensional fingertip-scanned (haptic) display. Basic perceptual studies with this two-dimensional display will likely suggest further improvements in electrode geometry or driving waveform. During Year 3, this display (with associated electronics and control software) will grow at least ten times larger so that complex geometric and pictorial information from a computer screen can be displayed. Extensive perceptual studies during Year 4 will test the hypothesis that complex pictorial information is more readily perceived by haptic exploration with the fingertips than through a fixed-location 384-point electrotactile display on the abdomen (currently-available technology). Research during Year 5 will explore the feasibility of other rehabilitation applications, including retraining the visual perception of individuals with stroke-induced visual agnosia (intact eye and optic nerve), and dyslexia. We hypothesize that simultaneous display of "visual" information tactually and visually (on a computer screen), in conjunction with the user's properly-functioning tactile perceptual system, can cause functional reorganization of the damaged visual processing areas of the brain, effecting improved visual perception.

这项研究将开发一种电触觉显示器来呈现 为盲人提供计算机图形学。 电脑的使用日益增多 图形和图片显示（例如 Macintosh 和 Microsoft Windows 环境）给盲人计算机用户带来了一个主要问题。 虽然文本输出可通过盲文、Optacon（光学到 触觉转换器）或语音合成，这些技术都不是 适合呈现复杂的图形或空间信息 （组织结构图、计算机程序或流程图、 电气、建筑或机械图纸，三维 图表、图片、视觉艺术品）。 拟议的研究将创造出一种扁平、光滑的平板电脑 嵌入式电极和外部驱动电路，可以电 将计算机中的图像信息直接显示到皮肤上。 一个 然后盲人用户将能够解释格式正确的感知 他/她通过用指尖扫描显示屏来获取信息。 第一年的探索性研究将扩展目前的电触觉 指尖触摸的电刺激知识。 研究 将确定刺激模式（直接传入神经刺激 或间接静电/机械刺激），电极几何形状， 和波形特征，产生强大的、可重复的和 舒适的单点刺激。 第 2 年的努力将发展 小型二维指尖扫描（触觉）显示器。 基本的 对这种二维显示的感知研究可能会表明 电极几何形状或驱动波形的进一步改进。 期间 第 3 年，该显示器（带有相关的电子设备和控制软件） 将增长至少十倍，以便复杂的几何和 可以显示计算机屏幕上的图形信息。 广泛的 第四年的感知研究将检验复杂的假设 通过触觉探索更容易感知图像信息 用指尖比通过固定位置 384 点 腹部电触觉显示（当前可用的技术）。 第 5 年的研究将探索其他方法的可行性 康复应用，包括重新训练视觉感知 中风引起的视觉失认症患者（完整的眼睛和视神经） 神经）和阅读障碍。 我们假设同时显示 触觉和视觉上的“视觉”信息（在计算机屏幕上） 与用户正常运作的触觉感知相结合 系统，可能会导致受损视觉的功能重组 大脑的处理区域，从而改善视觉感知。