Development of an electrotactile glove for display of graphics for the blind: preliminary results

Author

Tyler, M. ; Haase, S. ; Kaczmarek, Katarzyna ; Bach-y-Rita, P.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Biomed. Eng., Wisconsin Univ., Madison, WI, USA

Volume

3

fYear

2002

fDate

23-26 Oct. 2002

Firstpage

2439

Abstract

We present preliminary results from a pattern perception experiment using a finger-mounted, optical-to-tactile image conversion system. The system converts light patterns from a linear camera to a corresponding column of electrotactile (electrocutaneous) stimulation on the palmer surface of the finger. Random presentations of four simple geometric patterns selected were correctly identified 63.5% of the time, demonstrating initial feasibility of the system.

Keywords

biomedical optical imaging; data gloves; medical image processing; sensory aids; touch (physiological); vision defects; electrocutaneous stimulation; electrotactile glove; finger palmer surface; finger-mounted optical-to-tactile image conversion system; graphics display; light patterns conversion; linear camera; pattern perception experiment; random presentations; simple geometric patterns; system feasibility; Biomedical engineering; Biomedical optical imaging; Cameras; Displays; Electrodes; Fingers; Graphics; Image converters; Prototypes; Shape;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Engineering in Medicine and Biology, 2002. 24th Annual Conference and the Annual Fall Meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society EMBS/BMES Conference, 2002. Proceedings of the Second Joint

ISSN

1094-687X

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7612-9

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.2002.1053364

Filename

1053364