Tech enabled support sytems for visually impaired

Abstract

As per the latest (2011) census in India , 2.68 crore persons among the 121-crore populace in the country are considered as persons with a disability. Of the 2.68 crore, 19% are have a visual impairment (VI). That is, 50.92 Lakh people are visually impaired, and the number worldwide is much larger. Thus, assistive technology is an important issue to be addressed for this large population. In our country, most of the assistance developed for those with a visual impairment has been very simple and possible not encompassing. However, there are many technologybased solutions which are very effective. Given the market potential worldwide, technology solutions offerings have improved leaps and bounds. The following sections explore the contemporary technology driven support systems, with focus on mobility support and interaction support. Our aim is to collate extant solutions for those with a visual impairment. While we are hoping to target solutions towards students with a visual impairment, we acknowledge that many of the suggested solutions are applicable outside of the academic space. We also understand that visual impairment is an umbrella term that encompasses various forms of visual differences, with implications for utilization of suggested solutions. Furthermore, there are individual differences in terms of preferences for solutions: some students learn by listening, others through reading. Nevertheless, our hope is to offer a broad basket of solutions that can be utilized in academic spaces by diverse students as they see fit. This report comprises two broad sections. First, we outline extant technology based aids for navigation. Navigation includes steering through indoors, outdoors, short distances, and long distances. Second, we outline extant technology based aids for various forms of interaction.