• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.1237-1245
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• 2019

Most of the blind are low vision blinds due to injury or disease. As their vision decreases, they are experiencing inconvenience in their normal life and forgetting their memories with their family. The purpose of this study is to use Lithophane printing technology to help their normal life and to remember their family. Also, the manufactured 3D plates are to study the conditions that can be optimal understood through the tactile sense of low vision blind. When the low vision blind person understood the 3D plates, they chose three parameters that affect their tactile sense. And by comparing their tactile sense, the optimal condition results were found. This paper was concluded with (1) the round form that perceived as 3D objects, (2) the thin thickness similar to Braille, and (3) the high resolution that can be expressed in detail.

• Journal of Multimedia Information System
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.249-256
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• 2020

Learning methods using various assistive and smart devices have been developed to enable independent learning of the disabled. Pointer control is the most important consideration for the disabled when controlling a device and the contents of an existing graphical user interface (GUI) environment; however, difficulties can be encountered when using a pointer, depending on the disability type; Although there are individual differences depending on the blind, low vision, and upper limb disability, problems arise in the accuracy of object selection and execution in common. A multimodal interface pilot solution is presented that enables people with various disability types to control web interactions more easily. First, we classify web interaction types using digital devices and derive essential web interactions among them. Second, to solve problems that occur when performing web interactions considering the disability type, the necessary technology according to the characteristics of each disability type is presented. Finally, a pilot solution for the multimodal interface for each disability type is proposed. We identified three disability types and developed solutions for each type. We developed a remote-control operation voice interface for blind people and a voice output interface applying the selective focusing technique for low-vision people. Finally, we developed a gaze-tracking and voice-command interface for GUI operations for people with upper-limb disability.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.399-408
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• 2015

Objective. There were two objectives of the study, first was to identify the barriers as perceived by the patients and providers to access the low vision services and second was to identify the challenges faced by the main providers. Study design. Structured questionnaire based interviews of patients and providers Methodology. To find out the barriers to access of low vision services, the interviews based on structured questionnaire were conducted for two patient groups. The first group consisted of 97 visually impaired individuals attending the department of low vision services at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital Rawalpindi while the second group included 56 visually impaired individuals attending the four rehabilitation centers/schools for the blind in Rawalpindi/Islamabad. To identify the barriers as perceived by the main providers of low vision services and challenges faced by them the interviews based on structured questionnaire were conducted for 19 low vision service providers. Results. From patients point of view, major barrier to low vision services identified was inability to visit hospital /rehabilitation center alone - 29.8% in hospital group and 33.9% in rehabilitation centers group, while the lack of social support, lack of family support, cost of travelling, long distance, afford ability, hesitation in using devices and lack of satisfaction were other important barriers identified. From providers' point of view, major barrier to uptake of services was the need for repeated follow-ups. Optometrists were the main provider of low vision services contributing to 47.4% of the providers. The major challenge faced by the providers was motivation of patients to use low vision devices. Conclusion. The major barrier to low vision services according to the patients is inability to visit the hospital alone, while according to providers, it is the need for repeated follow up which proves major barrier towards uptake of services. The motivation is the major challenge faced by providers, majority of which are optometrists.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.54
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• pp.149-176
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to examine the degree of community integration of visually impaired people who have the limitation of mobility in comparison with another disabled and to find factors affecting community integration. The data were obtained through telephone interview with visually impaired people. The final sample was consisted of 1,004 respondents. The data were analyzed using statistical techniques such as crosstabulation, t-test, and hierarchical regression. In this study, the factors affecting community integration was divided into four dimensions : the attribution to disability, physical functioning, psychology and social support system. The major findings of this study were as follows: First, the factors affecting community integration of visually impaired people were age, education, economic status, social support, information support and participation of rehabilitation service. Second, the factors affecting community integration of the low vision and the blind are the limitation of daily activities and social support. But the factors affecting community integration of the blind are participation of education for braille and that of the low vision are information support and participation of rehabilitation service. Finally, the person losing eyesight since school age were the more limitation of daily activities than the person losing eyesight in babyhood. The factors affect community integration of the former are social support, information support, participation of education for braille, and rehabilitation service. The current findings suggest that intervention and policy aimed at improving social support system and formal services such as education, rehabilitation services should be considered by rehabilitation professionals and policy makers.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.81-89
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• 2023

In modern society, blind people face difficulties in navigating common environments such as sidewalks, elevators, and crosswalks. Research has been conducted to alleviate these inconveniences for the visually impaired through the use of visual and audio aids. However, such research often encounters limitations when it comes to practical implementation due to the high cost of wearable devices, high-performance CCTV systems, and voice sensors. In this paper, we propose an artificial intelligence fusion algorithm that utilizes low-cost video sensors integrated into smartphones to help blind people safely navigate their surroundings during walking. The proposed algorithm combines motion capture and object detection algorithms to detect moving people and various obstacles encountered during walking. We employed the MediaPipe library for motion capture to model and detect surrounding pedestrians during motion. Additionally, we used object detection algorithms to model and detect various obstacles that can occur during walking on sidewalks. Through experimentation, we validated the performance of the artificial intelligence fusion algorithm, achieving accuracy of 0.92, precision of 0.91, recall of 0.99, and an F1 score of 0.95. This research can assist blind people in navigating through obstacles such as bollards, shared scooters, and vehicles encountered during walking, thereby enhancing their mobility and safety.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2010

Research and development of Assistive Technology (AT) for blind people is primarily focused on assisting mobility and improving access to information. Some particularly useful devices for aiding access to information and communication are DAISY players used with talking books, screen readers for reading screens, video magnifiers to aid low vision, Braille displays, and Braille PDAs. These essential devices have been successfully commercialized and have assisted many visually impaired people. Assistive technology devices for visually impaired people are called sensory substitution devices, because these devices substitute tactile or auditory functions for visual functions. The tactile interfaces of sensory substitution devices such as Braille displays and Braille PDAs have a bimorph type of piezoelectric actuator that forms a Braille (pin) of the Braille cells by moving up and down. KGS Corporation of Japan has more than 80% share of the worldwide market for these Braille cell actuators. Commercializing it for the first time in the world. This paper reviews the various endeavors in Japan in the research and development of tactile displays, such as Braille displays and Braille PDAs. Furthermore, it discusses sensory substitution devices that use tactile displays, focusing especially on the rotating Braille display we have developed.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2016

The purpose of the study is to identify the accessibility of OpenCouresWare(OCW) from the perspective of college students with visual and hearing impairments. Six students with visual impairments(3 blind and 3 low vision) and four students with hearing impairments(2 deaf, 2 hard of hearing) implemented usability testing. Two modules in KOCW were selected for testing. Students implemented usability testing and then each individual case was analyzed through quantitative and qualitative methods. As results, the degree of usability and accessibility in two modules indicated low level. Implications and recommendations for designing OCW module based on the results were suggested.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.41-60
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• 2016

This study investigated how people who became blind midway through life used music and how these uses differed according to individual factors. Sixty-one late-blind adults aged 40 to 60 years attending six welfare centers for the blind in Seoul and Gyeonggi region participated in this research. Participants were asked to complete a 25-question survey in Braille on music utilization and preference, as well as the purpose of music utilization. The response rate was 87.1%. The results were as follows. First, with regard to listening preference, they reported preferring to listen to upbeat popular music on the radio when resting at home. They liked to sing along to lyrics reminiscent of personal memories. String instruments were preferred when playing an instrument. With regard to the reason for using music, inducing mood change was found to be the biggest reason, followed by seeking enjoyment, comfort, sense of achievement, and sense of belonging. Third, for people with adventitious visual impairments, individual factors, such as gender, level of disability, and period without eyesight, did not reveal any significant differences. Last, participants were found to obtain a higher sense of belonging through music compared to those having low vision. Regarding time without eyesight, it appeared that the shorter the period, the higher the sense of belonging participants had from utilizing music, and vice versa. This study provides fundamental information for organizing an effective music program that can meet the needs and demands of people with adventitious visual impairments.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.187-198
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• 2017

In this study, we analyzed the accessibility of open platform Android mobile banking applications, based on Korean mobile application accessibility KS standard, Section 508 technical standard of Rehabilitation Act, and European BBC guidelines. Experimental result showed that there are no mobile banking applications of 8 commercial banks in Korea that satisfy all guidelines of three standards. Typical violations included missing alternative text, keyboard focus violations, control size and spacing non-compliance, and low contrast ratio. These violations are fatal in that they make the accessibility of the blind, the disabled and the low vision and the elderly impossible. The reason that mobile banking applications do not comply with accessibility is that mobile application developers and providers have low awareness of accessibility and do not know how to implement accessibility properly. Comparing Korea mobile application accessibility guidelines with the revised standard of the Section 508 of Rehabilitation Act and the BBC standard, many guidelines are missing. Also, evaluation criteria are ambiguous and abstract, making it difficult for developers to refer specifically. Therefore, improving mobile application accessibility requires developer and government efforts and complementation of standards.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2018

In this study, visually impaired secondary students' conception of "changes of state of water" was explored. Science inquiry activity for students with visual impairments was implemented to 16 middle school students and 15 high school students from school for the blind. 14 of them were totally blind, 13 had low vision and the others were not identified. Inquiry activities were conducted by communicating with the researcher while students were individually exploring the molecular models of water and ice developed for the study. After the exploration, students were asked to explain the concept of changes of state of water with the model they explored. Opinion on the need and the usability of this kind of tactile model was also asked to them. All conversations were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. As a result, students with visual impairments answered exactly about the materials used for the model and their numbers. However, they didn't know what the model stood for. They had experiences of learning molecule of water and changes of state of water, but it was a phenomenon and superficial understanding. Students got to understand the molecular structures of water and ice, and had a positive perception on the need and the usability of the model. Based on these results, educational implications were discussed.