Comparing Vibrotactile and Skin-Stretch Haptic Feedback for Conveying Spatial Information of Virtual Objects to Blind VR Users

TL;DR

This study compares vibrotactile and skin-stretch haptic feedback to improve spatial perception of virtual objects for blind VR users, finding skin-stretch cues more effective for conveying location and movement.

Contribution

The paper provides an empirical comparison of vibrotactile and skin-stretch haptic cues for VR accessibility, demonstrating the superior effectiveness of skin-stretch cues for blind users.

Findings

Blind users perceive spatial info better with skin-stretch cues.

Skin-stretch cues improve accuracy in locating and tracking objects.

Vibrotactile cues are less effective for conveying spatial information.

Abstract

Perceiving spatial information of a virtual object (e.g, direction, distance) is critical yet challenging for blind users seeking an immersive virtual reality (VR) experience. To facilitate VR accessibility for blind users, in this paper, we investigate the effectiveness of two types of haptic cues - vibrotactile and skin-stretch cues - in conveying the spatial information of a virtual object when applied to the dorsal side of a blind user's hand. We conducted a user study with 10 blind users to investigate how they perceive static and moving objects in VR with a custom-made haptic apparatus. Our results reveal that blind users can more accurately understand an object's location and movement when receiving skin-stretch cues, as opposed to vibrotactile cues. We discuss the pros and cons of both types of haptic cues and conclude with design recommendations for future haptic solutions for VR accessibility.