University News Last updated 21 May 2024
Researchers at 探花直播 (BCU) are using virtual reality (VR) to help manufacturers design driverless cars that don鈥檛 put deaf and hard of hearing pedestrians in harm鈥檚 way.
Automated vehicles are growing increasingly popular in the UK but not all designs are people friendly, especially those people with disabilities or specialist needs, which can make it challenging keeping everyone safe on British roads.
But Dr Wenge Xu, principal investigator and an expert in human-computer interaction at BCU, says technology can play a key role in overcoming those challenges.
鈥淒rivers often communicate with pedestrians and cyclists using hand signals, head gestures, and eye contact,鈥� said Dr Xu.
鈥淏ut when humans are no longer in the driving seat, these traditional methods will be replaced by an External Human-Machine Interface (eHMI).鈥�
And that is where the problem lies, as Dr Xu鈥檚 colleague, Dr Foroogh Hajiseyedjavadi explained.
鈥淐urrently, there are no fully operational highly automated vehicles with eHMI capabilities on the roads,鈥� said Dr Hajiseyedjavadi, a lecturer in听Civil Engineering at BCU.
鈥淗owever, ongoing development efforts have produced prototypes of eHMI designs. In this context, it becomes paramount to integrate considerations for disabled people.鈥�
There are听 deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK 鈥� and 400 million worldwide 鈥� yet their needs have not been considered in current eHMI research and development.听
鈥淏y incorporating their needs into the design phase, we can ensure inclusivity and accessibility for all users, fostering a more equitable transportation landscape,鈥� Dr Xu said.
BCU鈥檚 team will be the first to use VR and a user-centred design approach to simulate how deaf and hard of hearing people interact with cars so that automated vehicles can be developed with their needs in mind.听
鈥淐urrent designs rely on audio cues that deaf people won鈥檛 be able to hear and digital signs that they may not be able to understand if their first language is British Sign Language,鈥� Dr Xu said.
鈥淏CU is at the forefront of accessibility research and immersive technology. We鈥檒l bring deaf and hard of hearing people into the design process. Using VR headsets, we鈥檒l immerse them in a realistic road setting and track their eye and body movement to understand their reactions.鈥�
Funded by a 拢70,000 grant from the Royal Society, the project will involve Dr Xu working with a number of major car manufacturers and charities.
Dr Xu said the ultimate goal is to develop an inclusive interface that is suitable for everyone.
鈥淲hen we have a design that meets the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people, we鈥檒l explore how this can be extended to people with other disabilities,鈥� he said.听
Professor Hanifa Shah, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of BCU's Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, has given her backing to the project.
鈥淗ere at BCU, we believe it鈥檚 important to apply our expertise in advanced technologies to solve problems and make a difference to people鈥檚 lives,鈥� she said.听
鈥淭his project is a wonderful example of our 鈥榢nowledge in action鈥� approach. We look forward to seeing how we can create safer streets for deaf people through this vital research project.鈥�