Tangible Construction Kit for Blind and Partially Sighted Drawers

Drawing as an activity aids problem solving, collaboration, and presentation in design, science, and engineering and artistic creativity as well as expression in the arts. Unfortunately, blind, and partially sighted learners still lack an inclusive and effective drawing tool, even in the digital age. In response, this research aims to explore what an effective drawing tool for blind and partially sighted individuals (BPSI) would be. Raised-line drawing kits aim to provide this, but in prior work, our usability tests of raised line graphics with blind and partially sighted participants rated the raised line graphics that we tested as barely comprehensible relative to 3D models, which they rated as highly comprehensible. Semi-structured interviews with our participants afterward suggest that they found 3D models to be more comprehensible because these are consistent with haptic principles of perception whereas conventions of raised line graphics, such as a line representing a surface edge, replicate visual cues of source images and thereby violate haptic principles of perception. Therefore, we hypothesize that a drawing tool for blind and partially sighted drawers could be effective by recruiting affordances of 3D models. Through co-design sessions conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic with blind and partially sighted drawers (BPSD), we prototyped a tangible 3D model construction kit for non-visual haptic drawing with a digital interface to a 3D virtual environment. Our current investigation of user needs is informing us of our ongoing iterative development of an accessible 3D scanning application that is enabling blind and partially sighted individuals to build and scan in 3D models constructed from a more flexible range of materials beyond what was possible with our previous prototype.

Prototyping a Spatial Skills AR Authoring Tool for Partially Sighted, Blind, and Sighted Individuals

Spatial skills are critical for understanding the relations among objects and people, playing an important role in how we interact with the world. Spatial relationships are built through interactions with physical objects;however, in computational/online environments, these change to bi-dimensional media and computer-assisted design comprised of 3D representations viewable through a flat screen. Due to spatial immersion and interaction limitations, a traditional 2D and 3D approach presents challenges to partially sighted, blind, and sighted individuals. This paper presents the prototyping of a co-design Augmented Reality (AR) authoring tool by recruiting inclusive emerging affordances of consumer-level AR technologies within the context of current e-learning provisions in subject matters, including inclusive design, engineering design, game hardware design, and health sciences. This work has been inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic that has shown the need to level the field in inclusive design for teaching a subject typically oriented to the sighted. Our prototype allows users to create e-learning content for visualization, interaction, collaboration, and inclusive learning. Future work will investigate our tool's impact on skills development and content creation. © 2022 IEEE.

Tangible Construction Kit for Blind and Partially Sighted Drawers: Co-Designing a cross-sensory 3D interface with blind and partially sighted drawers during Covid-19

Drawing as an activity aids problem solving, collaboration, and presentation in design, science, and engineering and artistic creativity as well as expression in the arts. Unfortunately, blind, and partially sighted learners still lack an inclusive and effective drawing tool, even in the digital age. In response, this research aims to explore what an effective drawing tool for blind and partially sighted individuals (BPSI) would be. Raised-line drawing kits aim to provide this, but in prior work, our usability tests of raised line graphics with blind and partially sighted participants rated the raised line graphics that we tested as barely comprehensible relative to 3D models, which they rated as highly comprehensible. Semi-structured interviews with our participants afterward suggest that they found 3D models to be more comprehensible because these are consistent with haptic principles of perception whereas conventions of raised line graphics, such as a line representing a surface edge, replicate visual cues of source images and thereby violate haptic principles of perception. Therefore, we hypothesize that a drawing tool for blind and partially sighted drawers could be effective by recruiting affordances of 3D models. Through co-design sessions conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic with blind and partially sighted drawers (BPSD), we prototyped a tangible 3D model construction kit for non-visual haptic drawing with a digital interface to a 3D virtual environment. Our current investigation of user needs is informing us of our ongoing iterative development of an accessible 3D scanning application that is enabling blind and partially sighted individuals to build and scan in 3D models constructed from a more flexible range of materials beyond what was possible with our previous prototype. © 2022 Owner/Author.

COVID-19-associated mucormycosis of head-and-neck region: A systematic review

BACKGROUND AND AIM: With the second wave of COVID-19, there has been a substantial rise in opportunistic infections like mucormycosis. Mucormycosis is a fatal fungal infection and understanding the associated risk factors and their management plays a key role to reduce mortality and morbidity caused due to such infections. This systematic review was conducted to assess the risk factors, clinical characteristics and to understand the pathogenesis of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) affecting the head-and-neck region. METHODS: The PubMed database was searched with the keywords;((Mucormycosis) OR (invasive fungal sinusitis)) AND (COVID-19) and the PRISMA chart was prepared for the selection of the reports based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS: A total of 261 cases of CAM affecting the head-and-neck region were analyzed in this systematic review. Most of the patients presented with rhino-orbital/rhino-orbito-cerebral form of mucormycosis (rhino-orbital mucormycosis/rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis). Pulmonary mucormycosis along with rhino-orbital form, involvement of hard palate, and maxillary sinus was seen in one case each. A total of 224 (85.8%) patients were diabetic, 68 (30.3%) of them had poor glycemic control. Steroids were administered in 210 (80.4%) patients. Except for two, antifungal treatment was given to all patients. Follow-up data revealed 67 (25.6%) deaths and 193 (73.9%) were alive with one patient lost during follow-up. CONCLUSION: The findings of this systematic review suggested that the occurrence of mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients is related to the inherent effects of COVID-19 infection on the immune system, comorbidities especially diabetes, and treatment aspects. Hence, a detailed understanding of these factors may aid in the personalized management of CAM and improve the disease outcome. RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS: The risk factors in patients affected by CAM should be recognized and closely monitored in post-COVID-19 patients. A multidisciplinary team must be in place to reduce the mortality and morbidity in such patients.