RainbowTact: An Automatic Tactile Graphics Translation Technique that Brings the Full Spectrum of Color to the Visually Impaired

Abstract

Tactile graphics enable visually impaired people to access visual information via touch. This work develops RainbowTact to translate colors into tactile representations using wave and dot patterns. The technique distinguishes chromatic and achromatic colors, depicting hues, saturations, and brightness through different tactile patterns. A pilot study demonstrated decent color identification success and increasing task efficiency, with participants showing strong preference for the approach, though initial learning ease received lower ratings.