ABSTRACT
Whereas the rapid growth in use of three-dimensional (3-D) computer images has proved to be of significant value to many computer users, they have remained totally inaccessible to blind people (Fernández, Muñoz, Gutiérrez, & Barbero, 1999). The EU GRAB1 project is seeking to establish the degree to which a dual-finger haptic interface, augmented by audio input and output, can provide nonvisual access to this important area of the information world. The haptic interface itself is an entirely new development controlled by a powerful haptic modeling tool. Validation of such a device is a complex procedure, not the least because it falls entirely outside of the experience of most users.
