The people at the virtual reality lab at the Computer Science and
Electrical Engineering Department at West Virginia University are doing
research in this area.  Currently, they are developing 3 dimensional
"tactile" maps" of the campus.  The maps will use the PHANToM Haptic forced
feedback device or virtual reality gloves, and blind people can use them to
"feel" buildings and streets.  It also has voice output describing the
building or street for orientation and mobiliby purposes.  After the
prototypes, they plan to expand this project on a nationwide scale.  If
anyone would like a short (3 page) document summarizing the project, please
send me a note and I will send it back as an attachment.

Darren Burton
WV Assistive Technology Systems
E-mail: [log in to unmask]

 At 04:52 PM 9/27/99 -1000, you wrote:
>I hope I have the name of the technology right, it's the mouse which
>uses resistance to motion to convey existence of edges etc
>follow links from the embryonic
>www.feeltheweb.com
>to find out a bit.
>This seems as if it might have application in 2D graphics, currently
>much my biggest access difficulty at work.  Is anyone looking at this
>or similar technology? If not is there any interest in collaborating
>on such a thing?
>cheers
>Peter Rayner
>