A Code for Reducing Figure-Ground Ambiguities in Tactile Graphics

Abstract

This article describes a code that could facilitate the interpretation of tactile outline graphics by reducing potential ambiguities in figure-ground, slope, and curvature. An experiment tested the ability of six blind adults to learn the code quickly, locate and identify all symbols tactilely, and use the code to match embossed drawings to complex models that were designed to present line-referent ambiguities. All the subjects learned the code in less than two hours and successfully matched coded graphics to targeted objects.