Influence of the Edge Radius of Curvature on the Discriminability of Tactile Bars and Dots

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  • TOYODA Wataru
    Graduate School of Human Sciences, Waseda University
  • DOI Kouki
    Department of Teacher Training and Information, National Institute of Special Needs Education
  • FUJIMOTO Hiroshi
    Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University

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Other Title
  • エッジの曲率半径が凸バーと凸点の識別容易性に及ぼす影響
  • エッジ ノ キョクリツ ハンケイ ガ トツバー ト トツテン ノ シキベツ ヨウイセイ ニ オヨボス エイキョウ

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Abstract

Many consumer-electronics manufacturers design the buttons of their products such that they have tactile dots and bars on them, which serve as tactile landmarks so that people with visual impairments can use the same products as those used by sighted persons. However, no quantitative data is yet available that enables the determination of the appropriate size and edge radius of curvature of tactile dots and bars to improve the operational performance of consumer products. In this paper, we conducted an experiment to determine the influence of the edge radius of curvature of tactile bars and dots on their tactile discriminability. Young sighted participants tactually discriminated the tactile dots and bars whose dimensions were controlled definitely. Results showed that tactile dots with a larger edge radius of curvature have a higher discriminability (in terms of the discrimination time, accuracy rate, and sureness) than tactile dots with a smaller edge radius of curvature. Furthermore, participants perceived tactile bars with a large edge radius of curvature as a tactile dot when the difference between the length and width of the bar was very small. We conclude that the discriminability of tactile bars depends on the difference between their lengths and widths.

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