主題性3D觸覺地圖作為視障者輔助教材之研究

Development of a thematic 3D tactile map as Assistive Technology for People with Vision Impairment

陳奕蓉(Chen Yi-Rong)

指導教授 ： 范噶色

國立政治大學/社會科學學院/地政學系/碩士(2022年)

https://doi.org/10.6814/NCCU202201414

摘要

近期的醫學研究指出，過去幾十年來由於缺乏治療及全球人口持續增加，盲人總數有緩慢且穩定成長的趨勢。而目前台灣有多於五萬五千的人口患有嚴重的視覺障礙，然而處在一個具有大量視覺刺激及視覺影像輸入的環境中，這些人必須依靠其他感官來取代視覺，惟在涉及空間資訊與地圖展示時，資訊的傳播及溝通往往效果不彰。輔助科技如手杖抑或是一套電腦系統皆能夠幫助身障人士生活更加便利以及發揮各項機能的潛力，然此服務卻經常因為關乎少數人利益而被忽視。
隨著1980年代中後期立體光刻技術的出現，加上近年來3D列印機的價格逐漸下降，以3D列印技術製作觸覺地圖被認為能夠更好地滿足視覺障礙者的需求。然而儘管具備列印技術，過去的觸覺地圖卻因為不重視地圖製作之原理而經常無法達到所需，反而將重點放在地圖幾何（位置）而非地圖語意的再現（內容）。
結合3D列印技術低成本及高品質輸出的特性，產出的觸覺地圖可以擁有更豐富的語義及較佳的實用性，另外觸覺地圖有利於三維資訊的呈現，對於諸如形狀、紋理等變量有更大的製圖自由度。本研究將利用該技術，並結合視障者的反饋，發展出一可行的基本製圖概念雛形，並希望能藉此建立以教育為最終目的並作為輔助科技之主題地圖。
本研究以都市為製圖標的，以開源資料如開放街圖、政府開放資料作為主題地圖之題材，測試該類型主題性觸覺地圖之可行性，然3D列印限制了地圖大小亦限制了地圖尺度與點字註記的空間，發展出具易讀性與豐富性之觸覺內容需要與視障者不斷溝通與確認，此研究所涵蓋之模型概念建立了製圖者與視障者之間的溝通橋梁，並提供了可透過3D列印或其他技術所實現之具高自由度的觸覺地圖模型架構。

關鍵字

視覺障礙 ； 觸覺地圖 ； 3D列印 ； 主題地圖 ； 輔助科技

並列摘要

Due to the overall increasing world population and lack of treatment, the share of people in this world with severe vision-impairment has remained stably growing over the last decades. In Taiwan, more than 55,000 people live with severe vision-impairment. In a world that is extremely focused on visual input and stimulation, people with severe vision impairment have to substitute vision by other sensory organs which does not work very well in communication particularly when it comes to spatial information and maps as a form of representation. Assistive technology is used to improve the functional capabilities of the disabilities through any realization of aids, such as computer programs, products, and equipment. Unfortunately, this kind of service is still lacking because of minority interests.
With the advent of stereolithography in the mid-1980s, this problem appeared to become solvable, but only with the arrival of affordable 3D printers in recent years better approaches to produce tactile maps and to accommodate needs of the visually impaired community seemed to be within reach. However, the printing outputs are often lacking the required quality, and the underlying cartographic concept was often highly reduced as the focus was put on the reproduction of map geometry (where), rather than map semantics (what).
With the availability of higher-quality and low-cost printing, the potential for producing usable and semantically richer tactile maps has considerably increased. Tactile maps benefit from their three-dimensional representation and an increased level of freedom with respect to variables such as shape and texture. This research focuses on developing such an underlying cartographic concept with feedback from the community, and aims at implementing a prototype that allows to create complex thematic maps focusing on an educational topic as assistive technology.
In this research, open data such as OpenStreetMap and open government data has been extracted as topics of thematic maps focusing on urban areas in order to investigate the feasibility of 3D thematic tactile maps. However, this research is constrained by the printing limitations on map size and map scale. Iterative communications with visually impaired people can help develop a readable map with greatest information. This research acts as the bridge between cartographers and people with vision impairments by providing a conceptual model of thematic tactile maps which is proved feasible to be implemented by 3D printing.

並列關鍵字

Vision impairment ； Tactile map ； 3D printing ； Thematic map ； Assistive technology

參考文獻

i. Chinese references

Chang, C.L. & Chang, J.L., 2005, Using the Principles of Cartographic Symbolization to Evaluate Web Maps (利用地圖符號化原則評估網路地圖), JOURNAL OF TAIWAN GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE, 3: 1-13.

Chi, C.A., 1999, “A Study on Graphical Cognitive Ability of Visually Impaired Students (視覺障礙學生圖形認知能力之研究)”, Journal of Special Education, 17: 139-162.

Chi, C.A., 2015, Work Manual for Beginning Teachers of Visually Impaired Education (初任視障教育教師工作手冊), Taipei: Department of Special Education, National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU).

He, J.L., 2017, A Study on Designing a Tactile Symbol System for Guiding Students with Visual and Multiple Impairments: A Case of Huei-Ming School for the Blind in Taichung, Unpublished doctoral dissertation, National Taichung University of Education, Taichung.