Our team previously carried out a series of studies 1-4) on the spatial cognition of the visually handicapped. From these studies we ascertained that the visually handicapped are able to navigate space by walking across it -in effect, by "taking a shortcut" -to reach their destination. However, under conditions where the visually handicapped are unable to navigate space in this way -because their path has been obstructed by an "obstacle" -it is not so clear how they recognize this space, their

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... osition in it, nor what clues to aid their recognition. In this study, in order to clarify the characteristics of their spatial cognition and search behavior in such spaces, experiments are carried out in 12 kinds of geometric model spaces with a center core. The behavior of the visually handicapped is analyzed by walking locus and observation; and the spatial cognition, by sketch map and interview.