Enhancing 2-D Tactile Picture Design from Knowledge of 3-D Haptic Object Recognition

Abstract

Research into haptic object recognition suggests that matching stimulus input to a system of geon-like structural descriptions may play an important role in this perceptual modality, as it does in vision. The recognition of objects from tactile pictures or diagrams is an important skill for blind people, yet relatively little research has been conducted in attempts to optimize tactile picture design. This paper explains a novel, theoretically-motivated design for constructing tactile pictures (the TexyForm system). In a single experiment contrasting blindfolded sighted, early blind, and late blind participants, we demonstrate that TexyForm pictures were identified significantly more frequently than standard, visually realistic, tactile pictures. In particular, early blind participants improved their identification from 12.5% with visually realistic pictures to 50% with TexyForm pictures. All participants rated the TexyForm pictures as preferable to visually realistic pictures. We argue that using current theoretical knowledge and experimental data to drive tactile picture design is likely to lead to improvements in the usability of materials for blind people.