Skip to main content

Visual Perception Substitution by the Auditory Sense

  • Conference paper
Computational Science and Its Applications - ICCSA 2011 (ICCSA 2011)

Abstract

This paper presents the methodology to develop a sensory substitution system. We deal with the absence of visual inputs in humans, and we substitute the blindness by the auditory sense. Visual to auditory substitution involves delivering information about the visual world using auditory signals. The system allows the transformation of digital images captured from a web cam into sound patterns, using a novel scanning method from the center to the left and right side of the image. We define a robust correspondence between the image features and the sound features. The results provided by the system seems high enough to address many practical situations that normally require the sense of sight. Navigation experiments with blind people, have demonstrated the ability of the system to offer a permanent sensory substitution device in the future.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. World Health Organization (WHO), Magnitude and Causes of Visual Impairment, FactSheet No. 282, (2009), http://www.who.int

  2. Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografia de Mexico (INEGI) (2009), http://www.inegi.org.mx

  3. Claire Davies T., Burns C., Pinder S.: Mobility Interfaces for the Visually Impaired: Whats missing? In: 7th ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Human Interaction (SIGCHI), pp. 41–47 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bologna, G., Deville, B., Pun, T.: On the Use of the Auditory Pathway to Represent Image Scenes in Real-Time. Neurocomputing 72(4-6), 839–849 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Bach y Rita, P., Kercel, S.: Sensory Substitution and the Human Machine - Interface. Trends in Cognitive Sciences 7(12), 541–546 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Pradeep V., Medioni G., Weiland, J.: Robot Vision for The Visually Impaired. In: IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition Workshops (CVPRW), pp. 15–22 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Dakopoulos, D., Bourbakis, N.: Preserving Visual Information Images During Navigation of Visually Impaired. In: 1st International Conference on PErvasive Technologies Related to Assitive Environments (PETRA), vol. 283, pp. 1–6 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Kyong Kim, J., Zatorre, R.: Generalized Learning of Visual-to-Auditory Substitution in Sighted Individuals. Brain Research 1242, 263–275 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Kay, L.: A Sonar Aid to Enhance Spatial Perception of the Blind: Engineering Design and Evaluation. Radio and Electronic Engineer 44(11), 605–627 (1974)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Meijer, P.: An Experimental System for Auditory Image Representations. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering 39(2), 112–121 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Capelle, C., Trullemans, C.: A Real-Time Experimental Prototype for Enhancement of Vision Rehabilitation Using Auditory Substitution. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering 45(10), 1279–1293 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. González-Mora J., Rodríguez-Hernández A., Rodríguez-Ramos L., Díaz-Saco L., Sosa N.: Development of a New Space Perception System for Blind People, Based on the Creation of a Virtual Acoustic Space. In: International Work Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (IWANN), pp. 321–330 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Arno, P., Vanlierde, A., Streel, E., Wanet-Defalque, M.-C., Sanabria-Bohorquez, S., Veraart, C.: Auditory Substitution of Vision: Pattern Recognition by the Blind. Applied Cognitive Psichology 15(5), 509–519 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Collignon, O., Lassonde, M., Lepore, F., Bastien, D., Veraart, C.: Functional Cerebral Reorganization for Auditory Spatial Processing and Auditory Substitution of Vision in Early Blind Subjects. Cerebral Cortex 17(2), 457–465 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Bologna G., Deville B., Vinckenbosch M., Pun T.: A Perceptual Interface for Vision Substitution in a Color Matching Experiment. In: IEEE International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN), pp. 1621–1628 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Durette B., Louveton N., Alleysson D. and Hérault J.: Visuo-auditory Sensory Substitution for Mobility Assistance: Testing TheVIBE. In: Workshop on Computer Vision Applications for the Visually Impaired, pp. 1–13 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Loomis J.: Sensory Replacement and Sensory Substitution: Overview and Prospects for the Future. In: Converging Technologies for Improving Human Performance. Kubler Academic Publisher (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Wana, C., Wood, A., Reutens, D., Wilson, S.: Early but not Late-Blindness Leads to Enhanced Auditory Perception. Neuropsychologia 48(1), 344–348 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Lenay, C., Gapenne, O., Hanneton, S., Marque, C., Genoulle, C.: Sensory Substitution: Limits and Perspectives. In: Touching for Knowing: Cognitive Psychology for Haptic Manual Perception, pp. 275–292 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Pauletto, S., Hunt, A.: Interactive Sonification of Complex Data. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies 67(11), 923–933 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Martínez, B.D.C., Villegas, O.O.V., Sánchez, V.G.C., de Jesús Ochoa Domínguez, H., Maynez, L.O. (2011). Visual Perception Substitution by the Auditory Sense. In: Murgante, B., Gervasi, O., Iglesias, A., Taniar, D., Apduhan, B.O. (eds) Computational Science and Its Applications - ICCSA 2011. ICCSA 2011. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 6783. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21887-3_40

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21887-3_40

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-21886-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-21887-3

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics