This paper presents the integration of a virtual environment (BlindAid) in an orientation and mobility rehabilitation program as a training aid for people who are blind. BlindAid allows the users to interact with different virtual structures and objects through auditory and haptic feedback. This research explores if and how use of the BlindAid in conjunction with a rehabilitation program can help people who are blind train themselves in familiar and unfamiliar spaces. The study, focused on nine participants who were congenitally, adventitiously, and newly blind, during their orientation and mobility rehabilitation program at the Carroll Center for the Blind (Newton, Massachusetts, USA). The research was implemented using virtual environment (VE) exploration tasks and orientation tasks in virtual environments and real spaces. The methodology encompassed both qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews, a questionnaire, videotape recording, and user computer logs. The results demonstrated that the BlindAid training gave participants additional time to explore the virtual environment systematically. Secondly, it helped elucidate several issues concerning the potential strengths of the BlindAid system as a training aid for orientation and mobility for both adults and teenagers who are congenitally, adventitiously, and newly blind.

中文翻译：

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整合虚拟环境的康复计划，以提高盲人的定向和移动技能


本文介绍了将虚拟环境（BlindAid）集成到定向和行动康复计划中，作为盲人的培训辅助工具。 BlindAid 允许用户通过听觉和触觉反馈与不同的虚拟结构和物体进行交互。这项研究探讨了将 BlindAid 与康复计划结合使用是否以及如何帮助盲人在熟悉和不熟悉的空间中进行自我训练。这项研究的重点是九名先天失明、偶然失明和新近失明的参与者，他们在卡罗尔盲人中心（美国马萨诸塞州牛顿）接受定向和行动康复计划。该研究是利用虚拟环境（VE）探索任务和虚拟环境和真实空间中的定向任务来实施的。该方法包括定性和定量方法，包括访谈、问卷、录像和用户计算机日志。结果表明，BlindAid 培训为参与者提供了更多时间来系统地探索虚拟环境。其次，它有助于阐明有关 BlindAid 系统作为先天性、偶然性和新近失明的成人和青少年定向和活动训练辅助工具的潜在优势的几个问题。