Papers by Dianne V Pawluk
Clinical Ophthalmology, 2021
We comment on our recent research findings on the effectiveness of adding local cues to graphical... more We comment on our recent research findings on the effectiveness of adding local cues to graphical projection perspective to improve the understanding of perspective in tactile diagrams by individuals who are blind or visually impaired (BVIs). Local cues were added by indicating the depth of a point on an object with respect to the reader by the thickness of the line of a raised line graphic at that point. The findings suggest that adding the proposed local cues improves performance, which may further improve through training.
Extended Abstracts of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2021
We describe the early-stage development of a tangible block editor for the educational programmin... more We describe the early-stage development of a tangible block editor for the educational programming language Scratch that is intended to contribute to an environment that will allow blind and visually impaired (BVI) students (grades 6-12) to learn computer programming concepts alongside their sighted peers (both independently and in pairs) in mainstream classrooms. In this late breaking work, we describe our design that incorporates many of the key strategies of the Scratch visual code editor meant to promote engagement and lower hurdles to programming. Novel key elements of the design include: the strategic use of magnets and locally interlocking block edges to ensure only blocks with valid syntax can be connected, the use of telescoping tubing to specify parameter/operand location and allow their expansion for nested expressions and a block-sized-channel grid work surface that provides structure to aid BVI students in navigating and manipulating their programs.
The 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, 2019
The use of touchscreen devices with tactile and/or auditory feedback is increasingly being consid... more The use of touchscreen devices with tactile and/or auditory feedback is increasingly being considered for providing refreshable graphics for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Typically, with these devices, only a single finger is used to explore, limiting the perceptual field of view and, potentially, performance. This paper describes a study examining the possibilities of improving performance using simultaneous feedback for each of multiple exploring fingers. Preliminary results suggest that the benefit of providing feedback to multiple fingers may be dependent on modality and user characteristics.
Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 2019
Introduction: This article describes the development and initial assessment of a set of tactile c... more Introduction: This article describes the development and initial assessment of a set of tactile crayons that can produce different textured lines and areas on standard paper. Method: An assessment of the need for tactile crayons was performed through the use of surveys and focus groups from which a set of six tactile crayons was developed. Development was focused on being able to differentiate the crayons along the texture dimensions of sticky or slippery, rough or smooth, and hard or soft in informal dimensional analysis. Preliminary discrimination testing was performed to determine the viability of the six selected crayons. The main assessment determined whether individuals were able to identify each of the crayons by number from feeling scribbles on paper. Results: User needs assessment showed that many practitioners felt the development of tactile crayons would aid in teaching and fill a needs gap. The participants were able to discriminate the six crayons with a mean accuracy (...
The proceedings of the 13th international ACM SIGACCESS conference on Computers and accessibility, 2011
To enable individuals who are blind and visually impaired to participate fully in the world aroun... more To enable individuals who are blind and visually impaired to participate fully in the world around them, it is important to make all environments accessible to them. This includes art museums which provide opportunities for cultural education and personal interest/enjoyment. Our interest focuses on the portrayal of paintings through refreshable haptic displays from their digital representations. As a complement to representing the structural elements (i.e., objects and shapes) in a painting, we believe it is also important to provide a personal experience of the style and expressiveness of the artist. This paper proposes a haptic display and display methods to do so. The haptic display consists of: (1) a pin matrix display to the fingers to relay tactile texture information about brushstroke, (2) a thermal display on which the warm-cold spectrum of colors is mapped, and (3) the sensing of location within the painting used to change tactile and thermal feedback to create contrasts within a painting.
Proceedings of the IEEE, 2013
Perceiving the material properties of objects through touch is generally superior to the percepti... more Perceiving the material properties of objects through touch is generally superior to the perception of shape. We review major material properties accessible through haptic interaction, along with theoretical accounts of the underlying perceptual processes. These include roughness, friction, compliance, and thermal properties. Subsequently, we describe algorithms that have been used to render these same material properties on haptic devices. We then point to applications that have capitalized on the accessibility of material through touch, including tactile displays, simulation of mechanical mechanisms in the automobile, and medical training simulators.
Sensors
To better prepare future generations, knowledge about computers and programming are one of the ma... more To better prepare future generations, knowledge about computers and programming are one of the many skills that are part of almost all Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematic programs; however, teaching and learning programming is a complex task that is generally considered difficult by students and teachers alike. One approach to engage and inspire students from a variety of backgrounds is the use of educational robots. Unfortunately, previous research presents mixed results on the effectiveness of educational robots on student learning. One possibility for this lack of clarity may be because students have a wide variety of styles of learning. It is possible that the use of kinesthetic feedback, in addition to the normally used visual feedback, may improve learning with educational robots by providing a richer, multi-modal experience that may appeal to a larger number of students with different learning styles. It is also possible, however, that the addition of kinesthetic...
Advances in Bioengineering, 1997
One of a surgeon’s most important tools is a highly developed sense of touch. Surgeons rely on se... more One of a surgeon’s most important tools is a highly developed sense of touch. Surgeons rely on sensations from the fingertips to guide manipulation and to perceive a wide variety of anatomical structures and pathologies. One important property used to assess the health of organs and tissues is compliance, which surgeons normally obtain by squeezing or indenting with their fingers.
Dynamic Systems and Control, 1998
In this paper we discuss the control and spatiotemporal pattern specification for a high density ... more In this paper we discuss the control and spatiotemporal pattern specification for a high density tactile display. The display consists of a configuration of 400 probes applying approximately normal forces to the contact surface. Except for horizontal skin stretch, the device is designed to be capable of simulating most psychophysically and physiologically relevant spatiotemporal patterns. It also is capable of providing a high resolution test-bed for tactile rendering algorithms for haptic interfaces.
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2017
Date Presented 4/1/2017 Workplace success for persons with visual impairments requires specific d... more Date Presented 4/1/2017 Workplace success for persons with visual impairments requires specific demands and skills. Associations of discrimination charges filed before and after the Americans With Disabilities Act Amendments Act suggest interventions should target retention aspects of work, the largest growing category of discrimination. Primary Author and Speaker: Callie Victor Contributing Authors: Al Copolillo, Dianne Pawluk, Kelli Williams Gary, Leroy Thacker II
Advanced Tactile Sensing for Robotics, 1992
Lederman, SJ, & Pawluk, D. (1992). Lessons from the study of biological touch for robotic tac... more Lederman, SJ, & Pawluk, D. (1992). Lessons from the study of biological touch for robotic tactile sensing. In HR Nicholls (Ed.), Advanced tactile sensing for robots. (World Scientific Series in Robotics and Automated Systems, Vol. 5). Chapter 8, pp. 151-192. Singapore: World ...
IEEE transactions on haptics, Jan 27, 2015
This paper considers issues relevant for the design and use of haptic technology for assistive de... more This paper considers issues relevant for the design and use of haptic technology for assistive devices for individuals who are blind or vision impaired in some of the major areas of importance: Braille reading, tactile graphics, orientation and mobility. We show that there is a wealth of behavioral research that is highly applicable to assistive technology design. In a few cases, conclusions from behavioral experiments have been directly applied to design with positive results. Differences in brain organization and performance capabilities between individuals who are "early blind" and "late blind" from using the same tactile/haptic accommodations, such as the use of Braille, suggest the importance of training and assessing these groups individually. Practical restrictions on device design, such as performance limitations of the technology and cost, raise questions as to which aspects of these restrictions are truly important to overcome to achieve high performanc...
Proceedings of the 14th international ACM SIGACCESS conference on Computers and accessibility, 2012
There is a great need for the development of interactive toys for deaf-blind infants (1-3 year ol... more There is a great need for the development of interactive toys for deaf-blind infants (1-3 year olds) to motivate their exploration of their environment, and develop their motor and cognitive skills. We describe relevant design criteria, gleaned from the literature and a discussion with professionals who work with deaf-blind children. We then present a toy consisting of a play mat with three activity areas: one for remembering and repeating vibration patterns and two for matching textures. Vibrators which turn on as the infant moves in the direction of an activity area, measured by pressure sensors, are used to encourage the infant to explore in that direction.
Proceedings. 1991 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
A method is described for modeling and controlling a 2-DOF master system of a bilateral force-ref... more A method is described for modeling and controlling a 2-DOF master system of a bilateral force-reflecting teleoperational device. The primary method of control involves the open-loop inversion of the system dynamics. It differs from previous methods in that: (1) it uses an experimentally derived black box nonlinear model of the system; and (2) it does not assume an infinitely stiff
2011 IEEE World Haptics Conference, 2011
Physical tactile diagrams have traditionally been available to make visual 2-D graphics accessibl... more Physical tactile diagrams have traditionally been available to make visual 2-D graphics accessible to individuals who are blind and visually impaired. However, the methods used have drawbacks for which dynamic haptic matrix display devices have been developed to overcome. As texture is a key component of many tactile diagrams, this study examined the psychophysical response of perceived roughness when square
Journal of Medical Devices, 2008
Current methods available to represent graphical information to individuals who are blind or visu... more Current methods available to represent graphical information to individuals who are blind or visually impaired are too expensive and/or cumbersome to be of practical use. Therefore, there is a need for an affordable display device capable of rendering graphical information through stimulation of working sensory systems. To further facilitate individuals, the device must be portable, as to enable them to use it in many different settings, and highly affordable, as most individuals who are blind are also unemployed. In this paper a dynamic display haptic device is described that is both affordable (
Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 1998
Page 1. Submitted to the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, September 1996. A Distributed Pres... more Page 1. Submitted to the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, September 1996. A Distributed Pressure Sensor For Biomechanical Measurements Dianne TV Pawluk, Jae S. Son, Parris S. Wellman, William J. Peine and Robert D. Howe ...
Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 1999
The dynamic response of the fingerpad plays an important role in the tactile sensory response and... more The dynamic response of the fingerpad plays an important role in the tactile sensory response and precision manipulation, as well as in ergonomic design. This paper investigates the dynamic lumped element response of the human fingerpad in vivo to a compressive load. A flat probe indented the fingerpad at a constant velocity, then held a constant position. The resulting force (0–2 N) increased rapidly with indentation, then relaxed during the hold phase. A quasilinear viscoelastic model successfully explained the experimental data. The instantaneous elastic response increased exponentially with position, and the reduced relaxation function included three decaying exponentials (with time constants of approximately 4 ms, 70 ms, and 1.4 s) plus a constant. The model was confirmed with data from sinusoidal displacement trajectories.
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Papers by Dianne V Pawluk