Distance information is critical to our understanding of our surrounding environment,
especially in virtual reality settings. Unfortunately, as we gage distance mainly visually, the
blind are prevented from properly utilizing this parameter to formulate 3D cognitive maps
and cognitive imagery of their surroundings. Our purpose is to increase the accessibility of
virtual environments to the blind using distance information which they will receive as auditory
information. We aim to create a setup which will enable the blind and visually impaired
to experience novel environments virtually before travelling to them in the real world, and
additionally will enable the blind better accessibility to virtual environments for
purposes such as entertainment and education.

Here, blind and sighted-blindfolded subjects performed navigation and shape-
discrimination tasks in virtual environments, using a simple transformation between virtual
distance and sound, based on the concept of a virtual guide cane (paralleling in a virtual
environment the "EyeCane", developed in our lab)

We show qualitatively that with minimal training it is possible for blind
and blindfolded subjects to easily learn this transformation, enabling the discrimination
of virtual 3D orientation and shapes and navigation in basic virtual environments using a
standard mouse and audio-system.

Sensory substitution; blind; navigation; virtual environment