Open AccessHaptic Search in Divided Areas: Optimizing the Number of Divisions
Author(s) -
Kaga Hirotsugu,
Kawaguchi Chihiro,
Mishina Midori,
Kita Shinichi,
Watanabe Tetsuya
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
japanese psychological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.392
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1468-5884
pISSN - 0021-5368
DOI - 10.1111/jpr.12151
Subject(s) - haptic technology , computer science , scale (ratio) , division (mathematics) , artificial intelligence , computer vision , mathematics , geography , arithmetic , cartography
The present study investigates the efficiency of haptic search facilitated by the division of the searchable area. Previous studies have shown that scales provided around tactile maps for blind persons can shorten the search time for tactile symbols on the maps, but the optimum number of divisions has not been found. We conducted an experiment in which maps with different numbers of divisions were presented to blindfolded participants. The search times for tactile targets on the maps were measured and a movie that recorded searching behavior was analyzed. Our results indicate that scales with 3 × 4 divisions minimize search time, and the movie analysis reveals that this optimization is determined by the time of both scale‐counting and target‐searching. This finding elucidates the manner of human haptic search and should be utilized for the optimization of automated tactile map creation.