title: The effect of receiver beamwidth on the detection time of a message from Talking Signs, an auditory orientation aid for the blind.
abstract: Talking Signs, an orientation aid for blind people, delivering an auditory message through a loudspeaker in a receiver, presupposes that the user directs his/her receiver to a transmitter in order to get the message. The time of making this orientation of the receiver and detecting the message was studied, when the beamwidth of the receiver was varied. The results indicated that detection time decreased with increasing beamwidth, but the difference between the two widest beamwidths was not significant. When considering also direction accuracy, it is likely that optimal detection time is gained with a beamwidth of about 24 degrees. It was also found, that some subjects decreased their detection time with training. No differences were found between blind and sighted participants.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation; D013997:Time Factors