Haptic-assistive technologies for audition and vision sensory disabilities

Area of Science:

• Assistive Technology
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Sensory substitution systems (SSS) convert visual or auditory input into tactile feedback.
• These systems aim to mitigate communication and navigation deficits in individuals with sensory impairments.
• Haptic SSS offer a less invasive and potentially more affordable alternative to implantable sensory restitution systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze haptic sensory substitution technologies for individuals who are deaf, blind, or deaf-blind.
• To evaluate the current state of haptic assistive technologies for sensory disabilities.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search across Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar (1960s-present).
• Inclusion of web searches for commercial haptic devices.
• Analysis of results categorized by sensory disability, functionality, and assistive technology type.
• Complementary analysis of data from organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO).

Main Results:

• Haptic sensory substitution aids can partially compensate for deficits in language, communication, and navigation.
• The tactile sense serves as a viable channel for information transfer to individuals with sensory disabilities.
• Existing haptic assistive technologies show effectiveness and ease of use across various disability levels.

Conclusions:

• Haptic SSS play a crucial role in enabling interaction for individuals with sensory impairments.
• A significant limitation is the current lack of user acceptance for haptic assistive technologies.
• Future research should prioritize miniaturized, custom-designed, low-cost haptic interfaces integrated with personal devices to enhance diffusion and acceptability.