This document proposes a method to present nonverbal visual information to visually impaired people using tactile sensations from real objects. It describes a prototype system that uses layers of materials with different textures to simulate qualities like smoothness, bumpiness, hardness and softness. An experiment found the system could present tactile sensations simultaneously, but had difficulty distinguishing between bumpiness and roughness. The purpose was to convey nonverbal cues, and findings showed effectiveness in some areas while also identifying challenges.

1. Kansai University
○Yuriho Higuchi, Mitsunori Matsushita
Investigation of Method Presented
Nonverbal Information
Using Tactile Sensations of Real Objects

2. §A large number of visually impaired people
Introduction
the senses of hearing, touch and smell
How to get information

3. color, facial expression, appearance, atmosphere
Introduction – visual information
temperature, texture
Visual information:

4. §Two types of visual information
§Linguistic information
§ex) words, language
§Nonverbal information
§ex) color，facial expression，appearance，
atmosphere，temperature，texture
Introduction – visual information

5. temperature: hot
Be careful not
to get burned.
situation: many people
The person is happy
Avoid this road
facial expression: smile
Visual information is useful to understand and predict a situation.
Introduction
Problem: Visually impaired people cannot get
visual nonverbal information.

6. Presenting visual nonverbal information
using tactile sensations to get it
for visually impaired people
Purpose

7. Definition
• Nonverbal information is visible by sighted people
but not verbal.
• Feature
• With multiple elements that cannot be expressed
in a word
• ex) atmosphere: the person looks like kind and active.
What is nonverbal information

8. To present nonverbal information
People receive multiple elements as stimulus
simultaneously with sense of touch.
ex) Braille：bumpiness and position
Nonverbal information includes multiple elements.
→To need to present multiple elements simultaneously.

9. Presenting tactile sensations combined
multiple elements.
Proposed method
the material features of real objects
For creating this tactile sensations,
we made a prototype system

10. The material features consist of five main dimensions.
§fine-roughness / smoothness
§macro-roughness（bumpy / flat）
§hardness / softness
§coldness / warmness
§friction（moist / dry）
Presenting these three dimensions
as tactile sensations
Proposed method – tactile sensation
【Okamoto:2013 Psychophysical Dimensions of Tactile Perception of Textures】

11. Implementation

12. Implementation
the Servo Motor(a)
the Servo Motor(b)
the 1st Layer
the Hard and Bumpy Object
the 3rd Layer
the 2nd Layer

13. Implementation
the Servo Motor(a)
the Servo Motor(b)
the 1st Layer
the Hard and Bumpy Object
the 3rd Layer
the 2nd Layer
clothes in the 1st layer
flat bumpy
smooth rough
bumpy
flat
rough
smooth
4
2 3
1
flatness
roughness

14. Implementation
the Servo Motor(a)
the Servo Motor(b)
the 1st Layer
the Hard and Bumpy Object
the 3rd Layer
the 2nd Layer
hard state
soft state
the 3rd layer
the 2nd layer
the 1st layer

15. Implementation
the Servo Motor(a)
the Servo Motor(b)
the 1st Layer
the Hard and Bumpy Object
the 3rd Layer
the 2nd Layer
hard state
soft state
a hard and
bumpy object
the 3rd layer
the 2nd layer
the 1st layer

16. Implementation
rough state (cloth1) smooth state (cloth2)
cloth1
cloth2
the Servo Motor(a)
the Servo Motor(b)
the 1st Layer
the Hard and Bumpy Object
the 3rd Layer
the 2nd Layer

17. §the state of not pushing up
a hard and bumpy object
and
§When using a cloth with a
not uneven surface
Implementation
flat state bumpy state
§the state of pushing up a
hard and bumpy object
or
§When using a cloth with
uneven surface
the Servo Motor(a)
the Servo Motor(b)
the 1st Layer
the Hard and Bumpy Object
the 3rd Layer
the 2nd Layer

18. Implementation
§Eight patterns of tactile sensation by combining softness,
smoothness, and flatness

19. Participants closed their eyes and touched the system with
their dominant hand.
Experiment
Propose: Evaluation the differences between the tactile
sensations presented by the system and the tactile
sensations users perceive
Experiment participants : 16 college students

20. Experiment
Questionnaire for evaluation

21. The match rate: Rate of matching the presented tactile
sensations with the tactile sensations felt by the experiment
participants
Results
Smoothness:
more than 65%

22. The average value: average of evaluation results
Results
smooth
rough
flat
bumpy
It was difficult to distinguish bumpiness and roughness
by flatness and smoothness

23. • It is difficult to distinguish the rough
state and the bumpy state
・Pattern ⑦ is evaluated that it’s
little rough and little flat.
Presenting rough and bumpy
separately
Discussion - roughness/smoothness

24. Discussion – hardness/softness
Pattern ① - ④ (smooth state)
• The average value : 2.0 or less
→little soft
Pattern ⑤ - ⑧ (rough state)
• The average value : 3.5 or more
→little hard
The experiment participants recognized hardness/softness of
the clothes more than the hard object.

25. • The action of stroking the surface of the
system
The induction of touch motion
to judge the hardness is insufficient.
People may not recognize a hard
and bumpy object
Need to push to feel the hardness
Discussion – hardness/softness

26. It is difficult to present bumpiness/flatness using only
bumpy objects.
It is the best way to use a combination of cloth
and bumpy objects.
Discussion – bumpiness/flatness

27. Findings and Difficulty
Findings
• Presenting tactile sensations at the same time in a
specific combination
• For presenting roughness it is effective to use clothes.
Difficulty – using only material aspects
• Presenting the differences between bumpiness and
roughness
• To induce the tactile movement with their eyes closed

28. Summary
Purpose:
Presenting nonverbal information using tactile sensations to get it
for visually impaired people
Proposed method：
Presenting tactile sensations combined multiple elements of real
objects.
Findings & Difficulty：
• Presenting tactile sensations at the same time in a specific
combination
• Presenting the differences between bumpiness and roughness