The effectiveness of different types of verbal information provided by electronic travel aids was studied in a real-life setting. Assessments included wayfinding performance and the preferences of 24 visually impaired users. The participants preferred a combination of route information and environmental information, even though this information…

According to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan (2006), there are 379,000 persons with visual impairments (both those who are blind and those with low vision) in Japan. Of these persons, 30% travel almost daily, 30% travel two to three days per week, 22% travel two to three days per month, and 11% travel several days a year; in…

This study investigated navigation with route instructions generated by digital-map software and synthetic speech. The participants, either visually impaired or sighted wearing blindfolds, successfully located rooms in an unfamiliar building. Users with visual impairments demonstrated better route-finding performance when the technology provided…

This study documented that blind pedestrians have considerable difficulty locating crosswalks, aligning to cross, determining the onset of the walk interval, maintaining a straight crossing path, and completing crossings before the onset of perpendicular traffic at complex signalized intersections. Revised techniques and strategies are suggested…

Discusses the benefits of individuals with visual impairments using a ball-bearing, rolling-tipped cane for traveling. Major benefits include reduced fatigue, increased durability and sensitivity, more stability, better sound cues, and greater safety. A method for assessing cane congruence is also discussed. (CR)

Two studies examined how adolescents with low vision perceive their ability to drive. The results of both studies indicated similarities in the participants' responses with respect to knowledge of visual impairment, information about options for driving with low vision, frustrations and obstacles imposed by not being able to drive, and independent…

A portable control device linked via radio to acoustic sources was used for prompting independent travel and activity in two adolescents with severe multiple disabilities. The device allowed the subjects to enter activity destinations with a simple, standard response, which activated acoustic sources that indicated the way to each destination.…

Four tests evaluated the need for and effectiveness of detectable warning surfaces at curb ramps for pedestrians with blindness. Results found that the effectiveness of the detectable warning surfaces depended on other aspects of the design of the intersections and on factors such as the density of traffic and the traveler's skills. (CR)

Historically, rehabilitation clinicians who work with people who are visually impaired (that is, are blind or have low vision) have relied on subjective checklists and clinical assessments to document the capacity of individuals to perform various tasks, including mobility, and to assess the impact of rehabilitation. Numerous instruments have been…