Tile-based Maps Optimization for OM Virtual Environments
Resumo
ENA is a mobile application for people with visual impairments who want to improve their Orientation and Mobility (OM) skills. It allows users to load personalized virtual maps of physical spaces, such as school buildings or mazes specially designed for OM training. The maps are created using a tile-based approach and could contain eight layers of tile matrices representing a floor, wall, or other objects. The map elements are enriched with 3D audio clues allowing users who are blind to navigate and accomplish OM tasks. In terms of loading large 3D environments, ENA had some inefficiencies. This performance issue is caused by the tool rendering method. It creates an object for every tile, even if there are contiguous areas of walls or fl oors made from the same material. We have developed two optimization algorithms integrated into ENA to address this issue. The first algorithm works on straight lines, while the second focuses on two-dimensional regions. These algorithms effectively reduce the number of objects created, resulting in a much faster and more efficient ENA tool.
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