Perception of table space during cooking by people with visual impairment

抄録

People with visual impairment typically experience difficulties when cooking, which can often lead to health problems. Organizing and tracking utensils in the kitchen are identified as particular challenges; however, the details of these scenarios are unclear. In this study, we clarify the organization of action and how people with visual impairment place objects on a table and contact them when making instant coffee using two types of tabletop designs. Six people with visual impairment participated in the experiment. Actions were categorized into four types: sub-goal unit, basic unit, touching, and pause. When participants were switching the sub-goal unit, the next object was searched from the plate. When a sub-goal unit was being performed, the situation on the table was checked so that an object could be placed. The following three patterns of object placement were identified: along the table edges, near the center of the table, and over a relatively wide area of the table. Fully blind participants had a smaller object placement area and contact range than low-vision participants. Some participants moved used utensils to the back of the table to make a no-contact zone, but others maintained the objects in fixed positions. Some participants tended to flexibly change their layouts according to tabletop design, but others did not. The environment-action relationship of an individual is shaped by a combination of factors, including visual acuity, phases that involve more touching, response to the environment, and whether memory or grasping the environment is more critical.