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Testing Tactile Aids for Blind Individuals

This study is testing new ways to create tactile aids for people who are blind or have low vision. Researchers are exploring different types of bumps, their spacing, and new materials (with alkyl and amino functional groups) to make these aids easier to understand. The goal is to make tactile aids that can convey more information than current ones, which often become cluttered. You might be able to join if you are 16 or older, have been blind or visually impaired for over 10 years, regularly use tactile aids, and have a basic understanding of high school geometry. Success in this study means you can more accurately interpret tactile plots and complete tasks faster using these new aids. The current status of this study is unclear, and it plans to enroll 100 participants.

Study design
This is an interventional study with an estimated enrollment of 100 participants. The study is testing different behavioral interventions related to tactile aids.
What's involved
Not specified in the trial record.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
The study measures outcomes immediately after human testing (middle of year 2) and immediately after human testing with a specific tactile aid (end of year 3).

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06237829

Testing Tactile Aids With Blind Subjects

Recruiting
NAAges 16+InterventionalBasic science
University of Delaware
~100 participants
Updated 2024-03-13 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Single bump acuityOptimal spacing between bumpsImproving signal from a single bump with designer materials

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Success rate for correctly interpreting a tactile numeric plot of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of four countries.
Measured over Immediately after human testing (middle of year 2)
+5 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Vision, Low
Blindness

Explore related trials

BlindnessLow Vision

NCT06237829

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • University of Delaware

    Newark, Delawarestudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Who to contact

Charles Dhong
[email protected]
302-831-2828
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Visual Impairment: Participants should be blind or visually impaired for greater than 10 years, either congenitally or acquired.
Tactile Aid Usage: Participants must use tactile aids regularly.
Mathematical Knowledge: Participants should have a basic understanding of mathematical plots, equivalent to at least high school geometry.

What this trial measures

  • Success rate for correctly interpreting a tactile numeric plot of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of four countries.Immediately after human testing (middle of year 2)

    Researchers will create a tactile plot of the GDP of four countries on an xy plot. The different countries are denoted from a combination of traditional lines or bump-dashed lines, and from a line made with a tactile coating. At three positions along the x-axis of on the plot, the relative GDP of which country has the most will change. Participants will be asked to give which country is the highest GDP and the lowest at these three positions. The primary outcome measure is if when asked, what is the GDP of country X at a certain value, participants successfully provide the correct value. More specifically, the percent of answer correct for each given country. Four countries will be used, with three being denoted through physical features, and the fourth denoted with a tactile coating.

  • Usability of GDP plot tactile aid.Immediately after human testing (middle of year 2)

    Researchers will create a tactile plot of the GDP of four countries on an xy plot. The different countries are denoted from a combination of traditional lines or bump-dashed lines, and from a line made with a tactile coating. At three positions along the x-axis of on the plot, the relative GDP of which country has the most will change. Participants will be asked to give which country is the highest GDP and the lowest at these three positions. Secondary outcome measures are usability of the tactile aid on a Likert scale, its comfort, how easy the tactile coating was to distinguish versus the physical features, and a free response of feedback on usability. Title: GDP Plot Usability Min: 0 Max: 6 Higher the score, the better the outcome/ usability of the tactile plot.

  • Time to completion of a tactile board game.Immediately after human testing with this tactile aid (end of year 3)

    For participants who were successful at the Outcome 1 Task, they will be asked to play a tactile board game that resembles "chutes and ladders". They will play one of two versions, with the first version being randomized across participants. In one version, the chutes and ladders are made from traditional physical features. In the second version, the chutes and ladder each have tactile coatings in addition to their physical features. Participants will be given a preselected list of spaces to move which normalizes the path length between the board made with only physical features versus the board made with physical features and tactile coatings. Participants will be timed on how quickly they finish the board game and the time to completion between the two different boards will be compared.

  • Success rate to completion for a fake money counting task.Immediately after human testing with this tactile aid (end of year 4)

    Participants will be given a random collection of 3-5 fake bills with the denominations on the bills each represented by a different tactile coating. After familiarization and training, participants will be given the random collection of 3-5 fake bills and asked to give a sum of the bills in their hand. Participants will be evaluated on whether or not their response is correct. This will be repeated 15 times.

  • Success time to completion for a fake money counting task.Immediately after human testing with this tactile aid (end of year 4)

    Participants will be given a random collection of 3-5 fake bills with the denominations on the bills each represented by a different tactile coating. After familiarization and training, participants will be given the random collection of 3-5 fake bills and asked to give a sum of the bills in their hand. Participants will be evaluated on how quickly they completed the task. This will be repeated 15 times.

  • Usability and general feedbackThrough study completion, 4 years.

    Subjects participating in the clinical trial will be invited to provide feedback on the usability and their preferences regarding the tactile aid introduced in the study. The assessment will be conducted using a modified Likert scale. This outcome aims to gather subjective experiences related to the use of new tactile aids throughout the trials. Throughout the study, participants will be consistently asked to comment on the usability and their preferences based on the tactile aid. This ongoing feedback will enable a comprehensive understanding of their experiences over time. Modified Likert Scale: Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Neutral Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree Extremely Agree Exceptionally Agree Title: Usability of Tactile Aid Min: 1 Max: 9 Higher the score, the better the outcome/ usability of the tactile aid.