ATIM: Automated Generation of Interactive, Audio-Tactile Indoor Maps by Means of a Digital Pen

Mobile independence requires knowledge about the environment and environmental features. In particular, the location and structure of objects in the environment must be known in order to navigate independently. Tactile maps often require Braille skills as well as tactile graphic reading skills, and also contain less details or need to be divided into many sheets. Audio-tactile maps can overcome these disadvantages and can be used effectively with tactile indoor maps. In this paper, we first classify user tasks of tactile indoor maps. We further present an initial prototype that enables the automated generation of audio-tactile indoor maps on the basis of OSM data that could be used with a digital pen and a smartphone application to get detailed information about the building. It further provides search mode that supports finding a target in a building with sonification. We implemented multiple gestures to interact with the graphic and investigate an initial pilot study with one person with blindness to get first qualitative feedback in terms of our concept. The implemented workflow enables the accessible creation of low-cost, mobile and interactive audio-tactile indoor maps by means with a digital pen.