Sensory Substitution with Personalized Tactile Patterns

Abstract

In this paper, we design a platform that allows for the generation of 2D tactile patterns using a small number of vibrotactile actuators arranged in a rectangular grid. It is to transmit tactile stimuli onto the lower back of users who can also personalize the vibration variables including spatial location, vibratory rhythm, burst duration and intensity. We report on the recognition rate about tactilely displayed alphanumeric letters. It is useful for individuals with some level of sensory impairment such as a hearing or vision deficiency. The proposed flexible tactile platform can be used for a wide range of applications in health and fitness.