Vibrotactile identification of signal-processed sounds from environmental events presented by a portable vibrator

Conducting field tests of a vibrotactile aid for deaf/deafblind persons for detection, identification and directional perception of environmental sounds.

Five deaf (3F/2M, 22–36 years) individuals tested the aid separately in a home environment (kitchen) and in a traffic environment. Their eyes were blindfolded and they wore a headband and holding a vibrator for sound identification. In the headband, three microphones were mounted and two vibrators for signalling direction of the sound source. The sounds originated from events typical for the home environment and traffic. The subjects were inexperienced (events unknown) and experienced (events known). They identified the events in a home and traffic environment, but perceived sound source direction only in traffic.

The detection scores were higher than 98% both in the home and in the traffic environment. In the home environment, identification scores varied between 25%-58% when the subjects were inexperienced and between 33%-83% when they were experienced. In traffic, identification scores varied between 20%-40% when the subjects were inexperienced and between 22%-56% when they were experienced. The directional perception scores varied between 30%-60% when inexperienced and between 61%-83% when experienced.

The vibratory aid consistently improved all participants’ detection, identification and directional perception ability.