WHAT
POTENTIAL DOES VIRTUAL REALITY HAVE FOR PERSONS WITH DUAL SENSORY IMPAIRMENT
Presenter
#1
Oystein Dale
Centre for Assistive Technology, National Insurance Administration Street
Pb. 5200 Nydalen
Oslo
0426
Norway
Day Phone: +4795251285
Fax: +4722927070
Email: oystein.dale@trygdeetaten.no
The potential that virtual realty and related technologies hold for the
rehabilitation of persons with dual sensory impairment will be presented and
discussed.
The
term virtual reality (VR) encompasses a number of loosely related technologies.
Terms such as virtual reality, virtual environments, augmented reality,
enhanced reality and mixed reality are often used interchangeably. The common
denominator for all is that they represent attempts to convey realistic and
life like machine generated realities and environments through a suitable
interface which humans can interact with. The greater immersion and presence
one feels in these artificial environments, the more realistic the experience
becomes.
The
demands of the physical and social environment often restrict the activities of
persons with reduced functional ability. In a virtual world it is possible to
reduce this mismatch by manipulating the virtual world to suit the special
needs of the person. VR and related technologies may thus contribute to assist
persons with reduced function to engage in a number of activities which they
previously were unable to pursue.
VR
and associated technologies has been utilized in health care for more than two
decades. A comprehensive search in peer reviewed literature revealed a host of
research on the
topic. VR environments have advantageously been applied in the fields of medical
treatment, somatic and psychological rehabilitation, medical and allied health
personnel training, substance abuse treatment and pain reduction as well as
across a broad range of other health areas. It is especially in the field of
psychology, and particularly in the area of treatment of phobias and that
virtual reality type technologies have been utilized a great deal.
VR
has also been introduced in the rehabilitation of person with vision loss, and
we have located a number of research papers on this topic. The focus in these
papers has been on spatial cognitive mapping, orientation and mobility skills.
We failed to locate peer viewed literature describing the application of
virtual reality type technology for persons with dual sensory impairment. A
search on the Internet did reveal some information, but not an
abundance.
In
this presentation I will examine and discuss the potential use of VR and
related technologies for people with dual sensory impairment. A general
introduction and overview of the available technology will be given, and the
particular challenges one face when applying this type of technology to people
with dual sensory impairment will be outlined. Possible practical solutions and
set ups will be mentioned and discussed.
I
will particularly examine the potential that augmented reality in combination
with different types of hardware and network solutions hold. Concrete examples
include augmented orientation and mobility assistance, remote artificial
personal support systems and flexible access to environmental information. My
aim is to illustrate practical applications of VR technologies in everyday situations
and contexts, -which may assist the user.
The
emphasis in the presentation will be on the type of interface utilized to
convey the VR experience. Given the restricted auditory and visual input people
with dual sensory impairment receive, development of a suitable interface is
paramount for a realistic VR experience. Besides auditory and visual inputs,
one may look to haptic, tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive and olfactory
channels for realistic virtual representations.
The
development and implementation of VR and related technologies may increase the
vocational, social and societal participation of persons with dual sensory
impairment, and ultimately lead to increased quality of life.
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