The author has developed a workshop that combines online meeting and physical tactile materials for the visually impaired (V.I.).

Tactile teaching materials such as maps and models had been used by lecturers to explain complex information to the V.I. in person.

On the other hand, the V.I. have mobility difficulties, so they cannot freely participate in events such face-to-face interactive workshops.

In particular, the coronavirus pandemic deprived us of the possibility of holding such face-to-face workshops, as it had required social distancing and avoided physical contact.

In order to overcome these limitations and constraints, the author has developed a service that sends tactile teaching materials to the V.I. in advance and holds workshops via online meetings. The feasibility of this service has been confirmed in the past 10 workshops.

This service provides solutions to the following issues

• Production and delivery of tactile teaching materials within acceptable resources (cost, time, manpower)
• Ensuring the audience’s understanding of online lectures, which are necessarily one-way transmissions
• An accommodation that prevents the computer’s voice output from interfering with the talk of lecturer for the V.I. who must use a screen reader program’s voice to operate the meeting software.

The author’s practical experience confirmed that this workshop can be used for a variety of purposes, including museum exhibitions, disaster prevention guidance, and tourist information.

More than half of the voluntary participants were people with acquired visual impairments.

This is worth noting, considering that it is thought that they have limited tactile perception and that it is not possible to expect sufficient use of tactile materials.

In particular, people with acquired visual impairments immediately after injury have extremely severe restrictions on mobility, and the author’s workshop service can work as a tool for their rehabilitation.

This is an advanced navigation application designed for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, offering dual-mode assistance. There are map mode and recognition mode. The main purpose of the recognition mode is to compensate for the inability of GPS navigation to help the blind and visually impaired to accurately locate and guide to specific access. Initially, the map mode utilizes standard navigation features to guide users to their destination. Upon nearing the target location, users can switch to recognition mode, where computer vision processes real-time camera input and cross-references it with Google Street View data. When the desired entrance has been identified, the app delivers precise voice prompts (e.g., “The destination is 2 meters away at your two o’clock position.”), ensuring accurate final positioning in scenarios where traditional navigation systems fall short.

While other navigation apps for blind and visually impaired users, such as BlindSquare and Soundscape, are available, they have limitations. BlindSquare relies heavily on map accuracy and lacks the ability to identify specific entrances, while Soundscape provides no visual analytics, relying solely on geographic data.

Compared to traditional travel methods, which involve the use of a white cane and standard navigation tools, this app addresses a critical challenge faced by visually impaired individuals: the difficulty of locating specific entrances after reaching the general vicinity of their destination.

The dotcalc is an audio scientific calculator for the visually impaired that aims to be more
affordable and user friendly than currently available devices.

The idea was born from the dissatisfaction of students with current offerings, finding them
expensive and challenging to use. Based on their feedback, the design features large braille
buttons and an audio user interface via the built in speaker or headphone jack. The dotcalc
contains all the functions typically found on a scientific calculator, and required for those that
do maths, science or engineering at high school level and beyond.

By utilising low cost for low volume manufacturing methods and removing the need for a
screen, the target price for the dotcalc aims to be under €200. For those with some
functional vision, or wish to use it alongside someone that does, the dotcalc can be tethered
to a laptop via USB, utilising the screen for displaying large characters.

The plan is to open source both the hardware and software after an initial manufacturing run,
to make it available to as many people as possible.

Navis is an AI-powered navigation application designed to provide safe, reliable, and personalized mobility for visually impaired individuals. Navis delivers real-time, voice-guided directions, enhanced with AI to adapt to the user’s specific needs and environment. Key features include:

• Precise GPS navigation tailored for pedestrian use.
• Integration of live public transport data for seamless multimodal journeys.
• Customizable routes based on individual user preferences and real-time conditions.
• Hands-free voice interaction for ease of use and safety.
• Step-by-step guidance.
• Personalization through AI.
• Option to tap to call an operator.

Navis aims to increase independence, reduce anxiety, and enhance the overall travel experience for people with visual impairments.