TITO: A Touch-In-Touch-Out Tactile Display for Direct Manipulation Digital Interfaces for Blind and Visually Impaired People

Abstract The goal of this R61/R33 project is to develop a refreshable braille and tactile graphic device with multipoint touch sensing that can deliver a direct manipulation interface for blind and visually impaired computer users equivalent to that of the graphical user interface for their sighted peers. With both control and display functions supported by a 2D touch sensing surface containing thousands of actuated pins, blind users will be able to directly manipulate screen objects using drag-and-drop, drawing, and re-size functions to compose objects into spatial layouts that communicate hierarchy and other meaning using geometric relationships. Importantly, the tactile pins can be raised directly under the finger in response to sensed motion to create percepts associated with the direct manipulation paradigm, where the feel of the changed surface is immediately apparent, similar to drawing in sand or on a clay tablet. The project involves hardware and software development to create touch-in/touch-out interaction widgets on a tablet-sized tactile graphic device in conjunction with an API for integration with screen readers and commercial office software. The development plan involves a team of BVI co-designers, documented support from screen-reader developers, and a suite of 3 User Studies to ensure utility and user-centered design throughout the project. Milestones at the end of the 2-year R61 phase include a user-vetted toolkit and API, ensuring readiness for the R33 Phase. Our product will enable true digital interaction using the sense of touch and enhance the quality of life of blind Americans.