Interaction Framework for Evaluation of Barrier-free environments

Inhalt:
Realizing barrier-free environments requires an understanding of how these affect the experience of elderly and handicapped citizens. For this purpose, this paper proposes an interaction framework for the evaluation of such environments in a virtual reality setting. The environment is simulated by a 3D-model that incorporates simulated equipment like television screens with which the user can interact and thus test the environment. The framework makes it possible to attach a variety of different interaction devices to this simulation to allow for different user experiences with the simulated environment. Four interaction devices have been tested using this interaction framework: A sensor-equipped wheelchair, which can simulate the movement of a handicapped person through the environment, a pressure board for easy movement through the scene, a haptic interaction device and a Nintendo Wii Remote. Tests conducted with this setup as described in this paper showed promising results regarding immersion in the scene and realistic simulation of user experience.