Demonstrating ThermalSense: A Sensory Substitution System for Enabling Perception of Thermal Information

Sensory substitution and augmentation technologies redefine the boundaries of human perception by enabling new sensory experiences. Traditional sensory substitution devices (SSDs) transform information from one sensory modality into another, facilitating cross-modal perception and neuroplastic adaptation. Beyond rehabilitation applications, emerging sensorimotor devices leverage these mechanisms for sensory augmentation, extending human perception beyond biological constraints. The ThermalSense system suggests a method for representing thermal information through visual-To-Auditory sensory substitution. By doing so, it extends users' visual experience to the range of infrared frequencies using sound. In this interactive demonstration, participants will be presented with images alongside matching thermal soundscapes in a designated protocol, giving the opportunity to train on the system and experience thermal perception through audition in scenes lacking visual thermal information. This first-hand experience in using ThermalSense demonstrates the system's potential to broaden human perception and extend sensory experience.