Mobility and spatial orientation are essential for independent living of visually impaired people. NaviTerier project deals with design and implementation of a navigation system for visually impaired people inside buildings using a regular mobile phone. This system does not require any specialized technical equipment. It relies only on mobile phones with voice output, which visually impaired people already use. The navigation system works on a principle of sequential presentation of carefully prepared description of the building to visually impaired user by the current mobile phone voice output.
The issues of user interface design for people with special needs require an intensive interdisciplinary cooperation. Analysis of user requirements, including terminology, key orientation landmarks, level of detail and dynamics of description for environment, is based on numerous usability tests. Important source of information about cognitive strategies applied by visually impaired in spatial orientation are also findings from the fields of cognitive and environmental psychology.
This project is the long-term cooperation between the Czech Technical University in Prague, and Sun Microsystems, Inc. Since the issue of accessibility in both institutions is their long-term interest, there are many projects and activities supported by various sources. The newest resource which supports the system NaviTerier is an international research project AEGIS, on which both institutions participate. Principal investigators of the project NaviTerier are Zdenek Mikovec (CTU Prague), Jakub Franc (Sun Microsystems, Inc.) and Jan Vystrcil (CTU Prague).
Research and development of NaviTerier place in the broader context of student bachelor and diploma theses.