Portable Tactile Output Device for Braille Gaming Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing accessibility features for video games, such as text-to-speech, often disrupt the audio experience and break immersion for blind or visually impaired players, as they interrupt or suppress other audio elements during gameplay.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a games controller and a portable tactile output device that translates textual information into braille, allowing players to receive tactile feedback without disrupting the audio experience, thereby maintaining immersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If text-to-speech is used to output on-screen text and contextual information, then accessibility for blind or visually impaired users is improved, but audio continuity and immersion are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
A tactile output device (haptic feedback device) is introduced as an intermediary between the game system and the visually impaired user. This device translates visual game information into tactile signals that can be felt through the controller, allowing information access without interrupting the audio stream. The tactile device serves as a mediator that provides accessibility while preserving audio continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the acoustic channel (text-to-speech) with a mechanical/tactile channel (haptic feedback) for delivering information to visually impaired users. By substituting the auditory modality with tactile modality, the system avoids audio interruptions while maintaining information delivery. The haptic device uses mechanical vibrations and tactile sensations to convey game information.
2Loss of information
If zooming functionality or text size controls are implemented, then readability is improved, but game display and immersion are interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces visual modifications (zooming, text size changes) with tactile information delivery. Instead of altering the visual display to improve readability, the system translates game information into tactile signals that are transmitted through the controller to the user's skin, providing readable information without modifying or interrupting the game display.
Solution Approach 2:
The tactile output device acts as an intermediary that converts visual game information into tactile form. This mediator allows visually impaired users to access game information without requiring changes to the visual display, thus maintaining game display stability and immersion while improving readability through tactile feedback.
3Loss of information
If text-to-speech output is enabled, then information accessibility is improved, but audio immersion is broken
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the acoustic information delivery mechanism (text-to-speech) with a mechanical/tactile mechanism (haptic feedback). By using tactile vibrations and sensations to convey information, the system eliminates the harmful effect of audio disruption while maintaining information accessibility. The tactile channel does not interfere with the audio experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The tactile output device serves as an intermediary that delivers information through a different sensory modality (touch) rather than through audio. This mediator provides information accessibility without introducing the harmful factor of audio immersion disruption, as tactile feedback operates independently of the audio channel.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system is provided, comprising a portable device for providing tactile feedback to a user, and a handheld games controller, the games controller comprising a receiving portion for securing the portable device to the games controller via the connecting portion; the portable device comprises a communication interface operable to receive text information, a tactile pad comprising a plurality of touch elements for generating a respective tactile output, a connecting portion for securing the portable device to a handheld games controller, and a processor configured to receive the text information and to control the tactile output of at least some of the touch elements based on the received text information; the handheld games controller comprises a touch sensitive surface; and wherein the portable device is positioned over the touch sensitive surface, and pressure applied by a user onto the portable device is relayed to the touch sensitive surface of the handheld games controller.