Disorientation Factors that Affect the Situation Awareness of the Visually Impaired Individuals in Unfamiliar Indoor Environments

Alkhanifer, Abdulrhman; Ludi, Stephanie · 2015 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-20687-5_9

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Summary

This study investigates the specific disorientation factors that impair the situational awareness (SA) of visually impaired individuals navigating unfamiliar indoor open spaces, such as atriums. The research aims to provide designers of assistive orientation technologies with detailed insights into user challenges, moving beyond general navigation requirements to identify specific environmental and procedural barriers. The authors conducted a longitudinal series of three user studies involving a total of 95 participants to elicit these factors and formulate design requirements for indoor orientation aids. The methodology comprised three distinct phases. First, a domain understanding study involved semi-structured phone interviews with 24 visually impaired participants from six countries, examining their navigation strategies, challenges, and technology preferences. Second, the researchers interviewed six certified Orientation and Mobility (O&M) instructors to gain expert insights into safe navigation practices and behavioral patterns in challenging indoor setups. Third, a validation study utilized an online survey of 65 cane-using adults with visual impairments to validate and expand upon findings from the previous studies. Data were analyzed using content analysis and open coding grounded theory methods. The results identified three primary categories of disorientation factors: environmental, informational, and process-related. Environmental factors include physical barriers that isolate auditory cues (e.g., elevators behind walls), empty spaces lacking reference landmarks, inconsistent or unusual building layouts, and lighting levels that cause glare for those with residual vision. Informational factors involve the unavailability or improper placement of Braille signs and a lack of human assistance. Process factors encompass human interference, such as pedestrian traffic, and noise levels; both excessive noise, which masks critical auditory cues, and silence, which lacks informative sounds, contribute to disorientation. The study also highlighted that cane users rely more heavily on auditory and tactile cues than guide-dog users, often pausing longer to construct mental maps using techniques like perimeter or grid searches. The significance of this work lies in its translation of user experiences into specific design implications for assistive technologies. The authors propose that systems must adapt to environmental changes by offering multiple input/output modalities to mitigate noise interference. Furthermore, technologies should provide information beyond the user’s immediate context, such as abstract details about building shape and distant landmarks, to support the construction of a mental map. Finally, designs should align with user goals—obtaining an initial mental map, maintaining orientation, and ensuring mobility—rather than focusing solely on task completion. These findings offer a foundational framework for developing more effective indoor navigation aids for the visually impaired.

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• visual occlusion