In the development of communication devices for individuals who are Deafblind, a significant challenge is achieving a seamless transition from human-generated to technology-mediated communication. This study compares the intelligibility of the Australian Deafblind tactile fingerspelling alphabet rendered on the HaptiComm tactile communication device with the same alphabet articulated by a human signer. After a short training period, participants identified the 26 English alphabet letters in both the mediated (device) and non-mediated (human) conditions. Results indicated that while participants easily identified most letters in the non-mediated condition, the mediated condition was more difficult to decipher. Specifically, letters presented on the palm or near the index finger had significantly lower recognition rates. These findings highlight the need for further research on the tactile features of communication devices and emphasize the importance of refining these features to enhance the reliability and readability of mediated tactile communication produced through tactile fingerspelling.

This research investigates the efficacy of HaptiComm-S, a haptic communication device designed to facilitate tactile communication for Deafblind individuals. The primary focus is on evaluating the device's capability to replicate the tactile American Sign Language (ASL) numbers 0 to 10. Participants performed under two distinct conditions: direct ASL signing and mediated ASL signing through two modalities (Tap and Tap-and-Hold). Our findings demonstrate significant differences in performance between the Direct and Mediated ASL modes. Direct ASL consistently exhibited higher accuracy compared to mediated conditions. Mediated ASL conditions were prone to perceptual errors in number identification. Notably, specific numbers, such as 4, 7, 8, and 9, posed challenges in the mediated conditions, often resulting in confusion among participants. These findings contribute valuable insights for the ongoing refinement in the design of haptic communication devices tailored to the needs of the Deafblind community.

The main objective of this study is to investigate whether one can use recordings of human-to-human touch, such as a caress, to improve tactile apparent motion interfaces to make them feel more natural. We report here preliminary recordings of natural and continuous human-to-human caresses. To do this, six accelerometers were positioned on the receiving hand next to the stimulated area while a finger gently stroked the skin. The results suggest that we are able to capture signals from real human caresses that can be compared to signals produced by apparent motion stimuli. This is encouraging for our plan to continue the study in the second stage, which consists of tuning vibrotactile actuators to reproduce a similar pattern of vibrational responses in the accelerometers. In this way, the actuators mimic human behavior.

Neural mechanisms of touch are typically studied in laboratory settings using robotic or other types of well-controlled devices. Such stimuli are very different from highly complex naturalistic human-to-human touch interactions. The lack of scientifically useful naturalistic stimuli hampers progress, particularly in social touch research. Vision science, on the other hand, has benefitted from inventions such as virtual reality systems that have provided researchers with precision control of naturalistic stimuli. In the field of touch research, producing and manipulating stimuli is particularly challenging due to the complexity of skin mechanics. Here, we review the history of touch neuroscience focusing on the contrast between strictly controlled and naturalistic stimuli, and compare the field to vision science. We discuss new methods that may overcome obstacles with precision-controlled tactile stimuli, and recent successes in naturalistic texture production. In social touch research, precise tracking and measurement of naturalistic human-to-human touch interactions offer exciting new possibilities.

Finger-Braille is a tactile communication method used by people who are Deafblind. Individuals communicate Finger-Braille messages with combinations of taps on three fingers of each of the hands of the person receiving the communication. Devices have been developed to produce Finger-Braille symbols using different tactile stimulation methods. Before engaging in communication studies based on technologically-mediated Finger-Braille, we evaluated the relative efficacy of these methods by comparing two devices similarly constructed; the first based on widely employed eccentric rotating-mass vibrating motors and the other using specifically designed tapping actuators. We asked volunteers to identify the numerosity of presented items and for each device we measured (1) error-rate, (2) reaction time, (3) confidence ratings, and (4) a comparison of confidence ratings to actual performance. The four measures obtained for each device showed a net advantage of the tapping stimulation method over the method of vibrations. In this article, we conclude that the tapping stimulation method is recommended for use in the design of tactile communication devices based on Finger-Braille and fingerspelling methods reliant on finger tapping actions. The results did not demonstrate clear evidence for tactile subitising with passively experienced stimulation on the fingers.

Deafblindness is a unique disability characterized by a dual sensory reduction of both hearing and vision. For some Deafblind individuals, communication via touch may be their most accessible sensory channel. Multiple techniques that rely purely on touch exist within the Deafblind community. One method of interest referred to as “Deafblind Tactile Fingerspelling Alphabet” in Australia or “Deafblind Manual Alphabet” in the U.K., comprises twenty-six tactile symbols representing the letters of the Latin alphabet. This letter describes the HaptiComm, a device designed to reproduce the sensations generated during fingerspelling communication. The HaptiComm comprises an array of twenty-four strategically placed electrodynamic actuators specifically designed to produce distinct tactile sensations upon which the fingerspelling alphabet is constructed. The first experimental evaluation showed promising results suggesting further investigations related to the timing and the pace at which the stimuli are produced.

Fingerspelling is a tactile code that enables linguistic communication with people who are Deafblind. We describe and undertake initial testing of a crucial component of a device that is designed to perform tactile fingerspelling with the speed and the clarity approaching that of a human signer. The component in question is a tactile actuator, which is based on a conventional electromagnetic motor, but which is carefully configured to meet the requirements of communication by tactile spelling. The actuator is intended to be easy to manufacture, reliable, inexpensive, to be made in many variants and to be safe to use.

When people are deaf and blind, daily life is made difficult owing to the lack of linguistic communication that is normally mediated by sight and hearing. The project described herein aims at helping deafblind individual overcome this communication barrier. We describe a tactile communication apparatus that is capable of rich and efficient reproduction of the tactile signs employed by several tactile deafblind languages.