Key Aim

The project aimed to compare the functional performance of the long cane and two secondary electronic travel aids (ETAs)—the MiniGuide and the vOICe—in enhancing the mobility of individuals with visual impairments.

The focus was on object detection, obstacle avoidance, and evaluating the impact of ETAs on user efficiency, effectiveness, and gait stability.

Key Outcomes

  • ETAs improved effectiveness in object detection, increasing success rates (especially at greater distances) and reducing the swing angle of the long cane.
  • The use of ETAs resulted in decreased efficiency, leading to longer completion and hesitation times due to increased cognitive load.
  • Participants exhibited better stability when using ETAs, particularly with the head-mounted vOICe, which increased their margin of stability during mobility tasks.
  • While ETAs enhanced detection and safety range, they did not significantly alter the established cane usage patterns in obstacle avoidance tasks.
  • A trade-off between safety and efficiency was noted, with longer hesitation times but improved obstacle detection and avoidance with ETAs.

 

Read the full report here