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Translating the visual world into a nuanced tactile experience
Our core technology, Haptic material, is designed to translate digital data into a tactile experience, providing a ‘display for the skin’. In our SuperBrain products, we use 3D and thermal cameras, along with time-of-flight sensors, to create a haptic image of the user’s surroundings -a concept we refer to as haptic space.
The haptispace is transmitted to our unique Haptic material, which has over 150 fyxels (physical pixels) that transmit range of pressure relative to an object’s motion, speed, and distancefrom the viewpoint.
The sensation feels like a continuous touch sensation, unlike vibration-based haptic interfaces. Our unique Haptic Operating System software enables the transformation of visual and 3D data into a representation of the haptic space.
Why forehead?
Given the sensitivity of the forehead and human head importance in orientation, using haptic material on the forehead to display haptic images is the most optimal use case.
While it is possible to use parts other than the head to provide haptic signals, providing haptic signals away from the head makes it harder for the user to interpret the surrounding objects. People naturally use their head for orientation and to respond to signals from the environment. For example, people will turn their head towards a sudden loud noise.
While other parts of the person’s skin are often covered by the fabric or used for other activities (hands), the user’s forehead is always free of any disturbance. The forehead is an ideal part of the person to use haptic material.
Studies have found that tactile sensitivity and discrimination vary across the skin, with the forehead showing the highest level of acuity. In fact, the forehead is the most sensitive area to touch, with median detection levels of 0.07 g, which corresponds to the lowest monofilament in the range tested. Researchers studied how well people can sense the direction of touch on different parts of their skin. They found that some areas, like the forehead, arm, and palm, are really good at detecting the direction of touch, with low threshold values (all having a median value of 18).
Usability and User Testing
During user testing, we observed that many users found the haptic technology to be natural and easy to understand. Within five minutes of use, many users can translate the haptic feedback into useful information to avoid obstacles, find a clear pathway, and follow the person walking in front of them.
In a longer period of excersise, the users adapt to the haptic feedback and learn to use it in different situations. Some users could independently find the empty table in the coffee shop, locate the bottle on the tabel and find a bag hanging on the racket. These are just few examples of how versatile SuperBrain 1 is. We also discovered that the experience is unique to each individual, as the device does not provide instructions to follow. It provides an additional layer of real-time information about the environment, which the user needs to process and interpret, similar to other senses such as hearing or sight. Essentially, it can be best described as an artificial sense.
Based on our observations, we have noticed a pattern: the technology works well for blind individuals who have a positive attitude toward life and are open to new experiences. Age, gender, or other demographic factors do not appear to be significant criteria.