Vibrotactile Wearables Using Spectral Audio-to-Body Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies fail to effectively convert auditory inputs into haptic sensations for individuals with hearing impairments, limiting their ability to experience sounds like music or environmental cues.
Innovation Solution
A wearable vest system using vibratory motors to generate a haptic language by decomposing audio signals into spectral profiles and mapping them to different parts of the body, enabling real-time or prerecorded conversion of sound into tactile sensations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If auditory inputs are converted into haptic sensations using vibratory motors, then hearing-impaired individuals can experience sounds through tactile sensations, but the system complexity increases due to signal decomposition and mapping requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system decomposes audio signals into spectral profiles and divides the body into multiple zones for targeted vibration delivery. This segmentation allows complex auditory information to be processed and delivered through distributed vibratory motors across different body regions, making the conversion manageable and effective.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer that converts audio signals into spectral profiles and then maps them to specific body zones. This intermediary system acts as a bridge between auditory input and haptic output, managing the complexity through structured signal transformation and spatial mapping.
2Measurement precision
If audio signals are decomposed into spectral profiles and mapped to different body parts, then the conversion accuracy improves, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes mapping relationships between spectral profiles and body zones, and pre-positions vibratory motors in specific locations. This preliminary setup allows real-time conversion without extensive processing delays during actual audio playback, as the framework for signal transformation is already in place.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts vibration intensity and distribution across body zones based on real-time spectral analysis of audio signals. This dynamic adaptation allows accurate representation of sound characteristics while optimizing processing efficiency by focusing computational resources on relevant frequency ranges.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables hearing-impaired individuals to experience sounds and environmental cues through tactile sensations, providing a unique and immersive way to perceive music and other auditory inputs.
Implementation Method 1
uses vibratory motors to generate a haptic language
Implementation Method 2
transforming sound/music/game input to haptic signals
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are disclosed to facilitate creating the sensation of vibrotactile movement on the body of a user. Vibratory motors are used to generate a haptic language for music or other stimuli that is integrated into wearable technology. The disclosed system in certain embodiments enables the creation of a family of devices that allow people such as those with hearing impairments to experience sounds such as music or other input to the system. For example, a “sound vest” or other wearable array transforms musical input to haptic signals so that users can experience their favorite music in a unique way, and can also recognize auditory or other cues in the user's real or virtual reality environment and convey this information to the user using haptic signals.