Date of Submission
Winter 11-27-2018
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS)
Department
Computer Science
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Dr. Rongkai Guo
Track
Embedded Systems
Chair
Dr. Kai Qian
Committee Member
Dr. Rongkai Guo
Committee Member
Dr. Chao Mei
Abstract
Research into the creation of assistive technologies is increasingly incorporating the use of virtual reality experiments. One area of application is as an orientation and mobility assistance tool for people with visual impairments. Some of the challenges are developing useful knowledge of the user’s surroundings and effectively conveying that information to the user. This thesis examines the feasibility of using virtual environments conveyed via auditory feedback as part of an autonomous mobility assistance system. Two separate experiments were conducted to study key aspects of a potential system: navigation assistance and map generation. The results of this research include mesh models that were fitted to the walk pathways of an environment, and collected data that provide insights on the viability of virtual reality based guidance systems.