1.
Eric van Heuvelen
assistive technology specialist
Bartiméus, the Netherlands
Converting vibrotactile information
in daily practice for people with
deafblindness

2.
no conflicts of interest to disclose

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Centre of Expertise
B:
support assisted livingeducation

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Some context:
• one of two centres of expertise
• 17 million inhabitants
• 350.000 visually impaired
• 80.000 – 85.000 people with deafblindness
• 2.000 people congenital
• 1.500 acquired
• Approxmately 80.000 elderly

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Existing adapted tools

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FabLabsmart technology for people with a disability
Bartiméus FabLab

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Mission

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Centre of expertise on deafblindness

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Dreaming about an accessible life
Brainstorming sessions with people with deafblindness

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• one tool
• different devices
• signaling as warning, attention, recognition
One of the main conclusions :

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• who is at the door?
But also:
• when someone is approaching you in the garden
• smoke detection
• a smart status detector: the status of household electrical
appliances e.g. whether a coffee maker is switched on or
off
Developing the “Smart doorbell”

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Prototype

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Evaluation
• evaluation of prototype with people with deafblindness
• options for improvement were discussed

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• use of regular consumer technology (smartwatch)
• integration of more devices
• pre-alert, color and text
First results

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Conclusion so far…..
Worked well in lab conditions, but…….
Problems:
• using own wifi network to set up
• small range
• poor reliabilty
• poor wifi strenght
• not easy to start up after break down

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Follow up
Further development by Bartiméus

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1. explore the perception of vibrotactile
patterns (tactons) with people with
deafblindness (master thesis)
2. user needs to work with mainstream
(consumer) technology
Conditions

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Research
• what kind of vibrotactile patterns should be
used
• how many different tactons can be
distinguished
• will these patterns be recognized when a
user is going about his day doing regular
daily activities?

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• can tactons be accurately detected and linked to a
specific meaning when presented on the wrist?
• can these tactons also be recognized when
participants are engaged in cognitive and distracting
activities?
• the effect of long-term memory on tacton detection
and recognition in a call-back testing setting
Current Research

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Tacton parameters
• amplitude
• frequency
• timing

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Tactons presented to the wrist have shown to be
effective in providing information to people with
deafblindness.
Research result

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Let‘s get practical!

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• smart remote control
• connects to all your devices
• control device with your voice or
smartphone
Homey

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• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Infra-red, Zigbee, NFC/NRF,
433 MHz and Z-Wave
• Homey app: to create scenes and set up
responses to events
• developers can create own applications (API)
• open platform (easily integrated with other
solutions)
Homey

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Homey and the smartwatch

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• building an application
• smartwatch app
• using API
Further development by Bartiméus

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Testing
• testing with at least 5 people with
deafblindness at their home
• testing is currently in progress.

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Results 1:
• male, 65 years old, blind, hard of hearing
• hearing aid
• strongly focused on hearing
• prefers short vibrations
• vibrations too weak, other wearable?
• nice addition: high user-friendliness

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Results 2:
• female, 70 years old, hard of hearing
• tunnel vision
• vibrations were strong enough, also during activities
• increase of sense of security

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Feedback
• watersensor: watch vibrates as long as the tap is
running
• possible feedback to doorbel (i’m coming!)
• facial recognition

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How to continue…
Connect more devices
Integrate in daily practice
Magic 7!

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Final conlusion
The projects shows:
Mainstream technology can cause more
safety and self-sufficiency to those living
with deafblindness.
Tactile information is key.

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Questions?
www.bartimeus.nl/fablab
evheuvelen@bartimeus.nl
Eric van Heuvelen
Bartiméus, the Netherlands