Abstract

The importance of raising user's situation awareness has proven to be an important factor in the successful use of systems that involve mission-critical tasks. Indoor Orientation Assistive Technology (OAT) that supports blind individuals is one of the systems that needs to be oriented to support user's situation awareness. In the tasks involved in this system, blind individuals try to maintain their spatial understanding of the environment. The current evaluation methods of Orientation Assistive Technology that aids blind travelers within indoor environments rely on the performance metrics. When enhancing such systems, evaluators conduct qualitative studies to learn where to focus their efforts. The main purpose of this thesis is to investigate the use of an objective method to facilitate blind travelers situation awareness when traveling unfamiliar indoor environments. We investigate the use of in-task probes using the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT) method, and post self-reported questionnaire using the Situation Awareness Rating Technique (SART) method. The goal of this metric is to design an objective method that can highlight design areas that need improvements when evaluating such systems. Also, we investigate the relationship between user's situation awareness and user's confidence, satisfaction, and stress levels.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Blind--Orientation and mobility--Technological innovations--Evaluation; Self-help devices for people with disabilities--Evaluation; Blind, Apparatus for the--Evaluation; Situational awareness

Publication Date

10-2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Computing and Information Sciences (Ph.D.)

Department, Program, or Center

PhD Program in Computing and Information Sciences

Advisor

Stephanie Ludi

Advisor/Committee Member

Vicki Hanson

Advisor/Committee Member

Matt Huenerfauth

Comments

Physical copy available from RIT's Wallace Library at HV1758 .A54 2015

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

COMPIS-PHD

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