Development of a Shoulder-Mounted Tactile Notification System for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Abstract

In this study, a shoulder-mounted tactile notification system is proposed and developed for the deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) to go out safely and secure operation. The vibration detection rate, correct response rate, and reaction time are investigated using four types of vibrations with input voltages of 1.0, 3.0, 5.0, and 7.0 V for 24 DHH people. Additionally, the location and vibration time of oscillators that satisfy the two conditions of "being able to perceive the movement as a single point" and "being able to recognize the direction quickly without getting lost" are investigated for six DHH people. The experimental results reveal that the parameters suitable for tactile presentation are extracted based on objective and subjective surveys.