A Novel Wearable and Wireless Device to Investigate Perception in Interactive Scenarios

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Rehabilitation Engineering

Background:

• Investigating human perception in interactive tasks requires versatile tools capable of delivering multimodal stimuli.
• Existing methods may lack the adaptability needed for diverse user populations, including those with sensory disabilities.
• Understanding cross-modal perception is crucial for developing effective neuroscientific-based rehabilitation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel wearable device for investigating perception in interactive tasks.
• To assess the device's utility in individuals with and without sensory disabilities.
• To explore variations in perceptual judgment across visual, tactile, and auditory modalities.

Main Methods:

• Development of a wearable system with sensor and actuator units for light, haptic, and sound stimuli.
• Integration of a capacitive sensor for recording user responses.
• Validation through an interception task implemented in visual, tactile, and auditory sensory modalities with six normally sighted subjects.

Main Results:

• The wearable device successfully delivered stimuli and recorded responses during an interception task.
• Preliminary results indicate the system's capability to differentiate perceptual judgments across sensory modalities.
• The device demonstrated effectiveness in characterizing cross-modal perception variations.

Conclusions:

• The novel wearable device is suitable for investigating perception in interactive tasks across different sensory modalities.
• The system shows potential for providing insights into cross-modal perception principles.
• This technology can contribute to designing rehabilitation protocols based on neuroscientific findings for individuals with sensory impairments.