Tapping sounds by echolocation and body sway by the blind

2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 15500373
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Future University-Hakodate
• Principal Investigator: ITO Kiyohide Future University-Hakodate, System Information Science, Associate Professor, システム情報科学部, 助教授 (90325895)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SEKI Yoshikazu Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Human Science and Biomedical Engineering, Researcher, 人間福祉医工学研究部門, 主任研究員 (60357316)
• Project Period (FY): 2003 – 2005
• Keywords: BLIND / REHABILITATION / AUDITION / OBSTACLE PERCEPTION / ECHOLOCATION

Research Abstract

We attempted to demonstrate the relationship between body sway and virtual tapping sounds motion. We developed a virtual tapping sounds presentation system which listeners perceive objects by echolocation. Experimental conditions were : (1)tapping motions in back and forth direction, (2)virtual tapping sounds motion and environmental noise (pink noise) in back and forth direction, (3)no sound, (4)virtual tapping sounds motion in lateral direction, and (5)virtual tapping sounds motion and environmental noise in lateral direction.
Results were : (1)no sound condition indicated no body sways, (2)body sway responded to virtual sounds motion both in back and forth direction and lateral direction even if there individual difference, (3)virtual tapping sounds motion and environmental noise condition made blind participants larger sways rather than virtual tapping sounds motion.
We also attempted to develop acoustic system which presented a virtual interspace using only pink noise. We asked a blind person to evaluate to perceive an interspace in front of him. However, it was hard to recognize it. We have to consider this system.