Off-campus UMass Amherst users: To download campus access dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your UMass Amherst user name and password.

Non-UMass Amherst users: Please talk to your librarian about requesting this dissertation through interlibrary loan.

Dissertations that have an embargo placed on them will not be available to anyone until the embargo expires.

ORCID

N/A

Access Type

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

thesis

Degree Program

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Degree Type

Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (M.S.E.C.E.)

Year Degree Awarded

2018

Month Degree Awarded

February

Abstract

The ability to travel independently by using public transportation is important to everyone. However, that is a very difficult task for seniors and people with disabilities since it may cause anxiety when they use unfamiliar transportation venues. Therefore, many seniors and people with disabilities use paratransit services instead of public transportation such as the subway and buses. However, the cost of paratransit services is prohibitive and growing due to the increase in the number of seniors and people with disabilities.

This master thesis project presents an immersive pre-travel training application for seniors and people with disabilities. It will help them get familiar with new transportation venues and encourage them to use public transportation.

The main functions of this application are as follows:

1. Provide a 3D virtual environment and real environment videos of transportation venues.

2. Enable the user to explore and get familiar with transportation venues by controlling a virtual character in the 3D virtual environment.

3. Use audio navigation instructions to navigate users to a selected destination.

4. Provide multiple navigation preference options (e.g., stairs, escalators and elevators).

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/11248220

First Advisor

Aura Ganz

Share

COinS