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| Autori principali: | , , , |
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| Natura: | Preprint |
| Pubblicazione: |
2025
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| Soggetti: | |
| Accesso online: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.19345 |
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| _version_ | 1866913810229493760 |
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| author | Varshney, Apurv Nadolskis, Lucas Höllerer, Tobias Beyeler, Michael |
| author_facet | Varshney, Apurv Nadolskis, Lucas Höllerer, Tobias Beyeler, Michael |
| contents | Blind individuals face persistent challenges in last-mile navigation, including locating entrances, identifying obstacles, and navigating complex or cluttered spaces. Although wearable cameras are increasingly used in assistive systems, there has been no systematic, vantage-focused comparison to guide their design. This paper addresses that gap through a two-part investigation. First, we surveyed ten experienced blind cane users, uncovering navigation strategies, pain points, and technology preferences. Participants stressed the importance of multi-sensory integration, destination-focused travel, and assistive tools that complement (rather than replace) the cane's tactile utility. Second, we conducted controlled data collection with a blind participant navigating five real-world environments using synchronized head- and cane-mounted cameras, isolating vantage placement as the primary variable. To assess how each vantage supports spatial perception, we evaluated SLAM performance (for localization and mapping) and NeRF-based 3D reconstruction (for downstream scene understanding). Head-mounted sensors delivered superior localization accuracy, while cane-mounted views offered broader ground-level coverage and richer environmental reconstructions. A combined (head+cane) configuration consistently outperformed both. These results highlight the complementary strengths of different sensor placements and offer actionable guidance for developing hybrid navigation aids that are perceptive, robust, and user-aligned. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_19345 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Beyond Physical Reach: Comparing Head- and Cane-Mounted Cameras for Last-Mile Navigation by Blind Users Varshney, Apurv Nadolskis, Lucas Höllerer, Tobias Beyeler, Michael Human-Computer Interaction Blind individuals face persistent challenges in last-mile navigation, including locating entrances, identifying obstacles, and navigating complex or cluttered spaces. Although wearable cameras are increasingly used in assistive systems, there has been no systematic, vantage-focused comparison to guide their design. This paper addresses that gap through a two-part investigation. First, we surveyed ten experienced blind cane users, uncovering navigation strategies, pain points, and technology preferences. Participants stressed the importance of multi-sensory integration, destination-focused travel, and assistive tools that complement (rather than replace) the cane's tactile utility. Second, we conducted controlled data collection with a blind participant navigating five real-world environments using synchronized head- and cane-mounted cameras, isolating vantage placement as the primary variable. To assess how each vantage supports spatial perception, we evaluated SLAM performance (for localization and mapping) and NeRF-based 3D reconstruction (for downstream scene understanding). Head-mounted sensors delivered superior localization accuracy, while cane-mounted views offered broader ground-level coverage and richer environmental reconstructions. A combined (head+cane) configuration consistently outperformed both. These results highlight the complementary strengths of different sensor placements and offer actionable guidance for developing hybrid navigation aids that are perceptive, robust, and user-aligned. |
| title | Beyond Physical Reach: Comparing Head- and Cane-Mounted Cameras for Last-Mile Navigation by Blind Users |
| topic | Human-Computer Interaction |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.19345 |