Mobility of Visually Impaired People

The new edition of this book provides the basis for the design of new mobility assistive ICT (information and communication technologies) devices for the visually impaired. The book links philosophy, neuro-cognitive sciences, science of locomotion and engineering sciences. This book proposes a global approach to the complex and not well understood question of mobility (of healthy and visually impaired people). The book provides elements for understanding how the interaction with the space via mobility impacts our brain development and processing. The book provides elements for understanding how it would be possible to perceive the space without sight or in visibility worsened/degraded conditions. The book tries to establish which elements from effective locomotion should be supported in inclusive mobility assistances. The book goes beyond human mobility by providing the basis for humanoid robot mobility using bioinspired mobility models. Its methodological multidisciplinary framework allows analysing other types of non-verbal- interactions with space such as grasping and gesture language. The book presents research and on-going projects world-wide (including those supported by the European Commission), weighted by practical effective implementations by the end–users and the locomotion instructors with mediation of the newest results in computer and engineering sciences. Future research tracks in mobility are also suggested.

- Proposes a global approach to the complex issue of the mobility for both of healthy and visually impaired people;

- Describes the current understanding of how spatial interaction with the space via mobility impacts brain development and processing;

- Provides the foundational principles for humanoid robot mobility and a methodological framework for examining of other types of spatial interactions.