Student Work

Hearing Through Haptics: A Planar, Audio-spatial Awareness Device

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The Deaf and Hard of Hearing community faces challenges identifying audio-based alerts. The goal of this project is to develop a portable, planar and non-invasive wearable device that is independent of the vestibular nerve and does not inhibit user behavior. Haptic technology has the capability to bypass mechanisms of traditional hearing for increased assistive accessibility. The device is intended to provide audio-spatial awareness by using haptic vibrations for sensory substitution to sense urgent safety alerts (i.e. alarms, sirens) and social interaction cues. Using three-dimensional arrangements of actuator and microphone pairs and input signal filtering through a microcontroller, sound sources can be identified and directionally located, indicated to the user via actuator vibrations.

  • This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.
Creator
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Identifier
  • E-project-051320-201359
Advisor
Year
  • 2020
Date created
  • 2020-05-13
Resource type
Major
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Last modified
  • 2020-11-24

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Permanent link to this page: https://digital.wpi.edu/show/wh246v61m