Haptic signing is a process in which a hearing, sighted person conveys information to a deaf and blind individual by touching their back or other parts of their body. It’s effective, but what happens if the deafblind person wants to be more independent? Well, new haptic-feedback clothing could help.
The technology is being developed via the three-year European Union SUITCEYES (Smart, User-friendly, Interactive, Tactual, Cognition-Enhancer that Yields Extended Sensosphere) project.
It incorporates a computer-connected wearable camera that identifies important items such as people’s faces, obstacles in the room, or objects that the user wishes to locate. This information is translated into vibrations or other haptic signals, which are delivered to the user’s body via a network of actuators built into their clothing.