Orientation aid for blind people or people with low vision by using thermal-tactile biofeedback at the lumbar region for hazard prevention: A user experiment

Blind people or people with low vision (B/LV) rely on acoustic cues when using navigation guides. However, the auditory sensation is imperative for road traffic orientation as well. Since this sensory channel can quickly become overloaded, it is evident that another sensory perception, like the haptic channel, should be considered for navigation commands [6]. Thermal-tactile biofeedback has shown great potential in delivering messages without requiring special attention [1-3, 5], thus reducing cognitive workload. Further research is needed to consider how this target group could perceive thermal information and to what extent it can support B/LV users’ navigation [1]. We have developed a prototype where B/LV were provided with warm and cold signals through Peltier elements in the lumbar region based on obstacle detection results from a camera in the head area. The main focus was estimating the absolute perception threshold and a general standard biofeedback configuration, the users’ reaction behaviour and acceptance, and comparing the two signal variants. Additionally, we conducted a user experiment with eight B/LV individuals, which showed promising results.