Understanding Change in Place: Spatial Knowledge Acquired by Visually Impaired Users Through the Change in Footpath Materials.

Abstract

PAYNE, ANDREW PHILLIP. Understanding Change in Place: Spatial Knowledge Acquired by Visually Impaired Users Through Change in Footpath Materials. (Under the direction of Dr. John O. Tector.)

Throughout time, humans have traveled to new places and experienced unfamiliar territories oftentimes without fear of what lies ahead. However, in today’s world any environment outside of our everyday paths of travel can be challenging and intimidating.

This research sets out to investigate the role of typical footpath construction materials in communicating a user’s position within an urban environment. While illustrating the importance of detecting changes in materials, it argues that positional information should be available to all users. To examine this phenomenon, this study compares the two components – user and materials. Within the research, a theoretical framework is developed to explain the direct relationship between user and material, and a methodological design is used to elicit detectable values of each material independently and when compared to one another. By doing so, this research produces a means of evaluating the existing and future use of construction materials as a component of larger way-finding systems.

This research will have a practical importance from the standpoint of determining which combinations of footpath construction materials are best detectable, identifiable, and able to be used in way-finding by visually impaired travelers within an urban setting.