G|A|M|E The Italian Journal of Game Studies (Dec 2018)

Haptic Interfaces for Individuals with Visual Impairments

  • Benjamin Vercellone,
  • John Shelestak,
  • Yaser Dhaher,
  • Robert Clements

Abstract

Read online

Vision enables a person to simultaneously perceive all parts of an object in its totality, relationships to other objects for scene navigation, identification and planning. These types of perceptual processes are especially important for comprehending scenes in gaming environments and virtual representations. While individuals with visual impairments may have reduced abilities to visualize objects using conventional sight, an increasing body of evidence indicates that compensatory neural mechanisms exist whereby tactile stimulation and additional senses can activate visual pathways to generate accurate representations. The current thrust to develop and deploy virtual and augmented reality systems capable of transporting users to different worlds has been associated with a push to include additional senses for even greater immersion. Clearly, the inclusion of these additional modalities will provide a method for individuals with visual impairments to enjoy and interact with the virtual worlds and content in general. Importantly, adoption and development of these methods will have a dramatic impact on inclusion in gaming and learning environments, and especially in relation to science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) education. While the development, standardization and implementation of these systems is still in the very early stages, gaming devices and open source tools are continuing to emerge that will accelerate the adoption and integration of the novel modes of computer interaction and provide new ways for individuals (with visual impairments) to experience digital content. Here we present the rationale and benefits for using this type of multimodal interaction for individuals with visual impairments as well as the current state of the art in haptic interfaces for gaming, education and the relationships to enhanced end user immersion and learning outcomes. As these technologies and devices are adopted and evolve, they are poised to have a dramatic impact on entertainment, education and quality of life of individuals with visual impairments.

Keywords