The use of work in the fields of visual perception and cognition is now firmly established in research on the design of visual maps, as indicated by a substantial and developing literature (see reviews in Keates, 1996; MacEachren, 1995; Montello, 2002). Although a similar approach has been employed in relation to tactile cartography (e.g. Berlá, 1982; Michel, 1999; Vasconcellos, 1996; see reviews in Edman, 1992; Jansson, 2003), no coherent attempt has been made to establish a sound perceptual-cognitive basis for tactile cartography. This poster outlines a research programme, the Tactile Inkjet Mapping Project (TIMP), which is centred on a new process for the production of tactile maps that allows unprecedented control over the rendering of tactile features.
The interdisciplinary research team includes psychologists and cartographers applying a perceptual-cognitive approach to optimise the tactile output of the printer. Building on previous work in the field, the team aims to develop a set of cognitive principles that must underlie good tactile cartographic design, and to extend existing guidelines for tactile map production by providing a robust empirical basis for these. In this poster, we outline the approach that the team is taking, and present an overview of current and future research.
Prior knowledge of topic assumed: Low
Contains advanced technical content: No
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