Analytics company SAS has introduced a free browser extension that converts graphs and charts into sound, allowing users to create digital maps that can be explored using non-visual methods.
Using the SAS Graphics Accelerator, students with visual impairments or blindness can access maps of their college campus, including points of interest such as intersections, bus stops, buildings and other landmarks, to help prepare for life on campus.
The locations of objects on the non-visual digital maps are conveyed using sound to signify distance, direction and orientation, according to a news announcement. Nearby objects are indicated using a high-pitch sound, while distant objects emit a low pitch. Cardinal directions are indicated using the left-right balance of the speakers and by changing the nature of the sound (clean vs. metallic). The maps are best navigated using headphones and a gamepad controller.