Student Name:
Timothée Duran
Project Duration:
Fall Semester, 2021
Type:
Master thesis
Abstract:
Mobility is one of the many challenges blind or visually impaired people face. This thesis started with the hypothesis that technologies such as LiDAR could replace white canes by providing a more effective obstacle detection tool. However, through literature review, SMEs, and ethnographic interviews with blind and visually impaired people, we refuted the hypothesis and quickly pivoted the project. The result is an application allowing users to explore simplified indoor or outdoor venues maps by moving their finger on the screen. Precise haptic feedback, sounds, and audio descriptions are given depending on the element under the finger. By doing so, users can understand any map even when having no vision, allowing them to gain autonomy and confidence in their everyday lives. Talks are taking place to open-source the project and transforming it into a framework for use in existing apps such as audio-GPS or even public transport apps to display maps of stations.
Thesis: