Tactile symbols for visually impaired older adults

This work investigates the performance of older adults in tasks related to recognition of tactile symbols. We conducted experiments to evaluate different tactile symbols with varying elevation, shape form (outline, fill), and symbol preference in general. Experiments were performed with the general population of visually impaired (N = 6, age mean = 46.3) and with visually impaired older adults (N = 9, age mean = 76.8). We used both qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the experiments. The results indicate that even older adults are capable of distinguishing between six different tactile symbols. Participates frequently failed to connect meanings of abstract symbols with functions of a hypothetical orientation system terminal.