Abstract —Travel aids for the blind are portable
electronic devices that are either cane fitted, hand-held or
worn by the visually impaired user, to warn of obstacles
ahead. These devices exhibit a number of complex user
challenges, the most significant of which are related to the
interface display that conveys navigation/obstacle warning
information. There is a need for a new approach to the
design of computer-based assistive systems for the disabled.
Many Travel Aid manufacturers have catered for particular
disabilities in relative isolation and not necessarily within the
wider context of other modalities and areas of disability. The
(DESAT) approach would help a fragmented cottage industry
by offering a coordinated digital ecosystem from which both
the ecologically embedded end user and support teams from
diverse disciplines could benefit.