A CAI System for the Blind to Get the Ability to Understand Space

Abstract

Generally, blind people, especially the congenitally blind do not understand space. To help them, we developed a CAI (Computer Asisted Instruction) system which supports the blind to get an ability of spatial understanding. This system consists of a personal computer, an image-capture board, and a 3CCD camera. We conducted an experiment using this CAI system on blind school students. The subject shoud try to arrange blocks of different shape according to a problem presented by the system in the form of vocal sounds. When the subject completes a task of arrangement, the block layout is taken by the camera, and the shape and location of each block are analyzed, and the result is outputed by vocal sounds. This CAI system, which gives problems and corrections repeatedly, may help blind children to get the ability of spatial understanding without help of sighted people.