Development of Auditory Catch Ball System for Improvement of Blind Person QOL

Abstract

A virtual-sound catch ball game system was developed to improve the quality of life of the visually impaired. Computer-generated virtual sound balls were represented by stereo sounds, comprising localization parameters such as the interaural time and level differences, echo, and head-related transfer function. Ball-catching success was determined by images of the hand captured by a USB camera. Two sessions of experiments with blind subjects demonstrated the importance of distance recognition for human localization capability. Moreover, the addition of an echo parameter enhanced the sound-source image position and sense of enjoyment. The results showed that a virtual sound game is a good active-entertainment option for the visually impaired.