A Comparison Of Two Types Of Tactile Maps For Blind Children

Tactile maps produced on microcapsule paper are a comparatively recent innovation. Previous research has indicated that visually impaired adults find such maps easier to use than the longer established thermoform tactile maps. But previous studies have not considered whether microcapsule maps are also suitable for visually impaired children. Therefore, this experiment compared the effectiveness of thermoform and microcapsule maps designed for children. Three pairs of equivalent thermoform and microcapsule maps were designed, and visually impaired children were timed while they traced a route on the maps. The children performed equally well with both types of maps, and there were no effects for age or for the degree of sight. It was concluded that microcapsule maps can provide a feasible alternative to thermoform maps

Acoustics · Computer vision · Degree (music · Human–computer interaction · Optics · Pattern recognition (psychology · Physics · Sight · Visually impaired · Computer Science · Interactive and Immersive Displays · Smart Parking Systems Research · Tactile and Sensory Interactions · Artificial Intelligence