Demonstrating Spatial Haptics: A Sensory Substitution Method for Distal Object Detection Using Tactile Cues

We present Spatial Haptics, a sensory substitution method for representing locations of remote objects in 3D space via haptics. Spatial Haptics imitates auditory localization processes to enable vibrotactile localization abilities similar to those of some animal species. Two implementations of the localization method were developed, that modulate the vibration amplitude of the controllers relative to a target object in Virtual Reality. In Ear-Based Localization, vibrations are modulated based on the relative locations of the ears to the target, while in Hand-Based Localization, the amplitude is determined based on the relative locations of the hands to the target. In this interactive demonstration, users can experience the vibrotactile localization approaches in an interactive VR mini-game. Their task is to locate the target object in a scene consisting of multiple moving objects. By experiencing spatial localization using haptics hands-on, participants can evaluate the benefits of this sensory substitution approach for detecting distal objects.