Wearable Haptics
On-body systems that deliver haptic feedback have powerful potential for applications from improving navigation aids to assisting in anxiety management. This work is funded by the OSU Advantage Accelerator.
Problem
Haptics is a relatively new research area that requires more investigation and testing. In particular, we are interested in wearable haptic devices for navigation assistance for individuals with visual impairments and anxiety reduction for individuals who experience symptoms of anxiety. But user requirements, system designs, and device effectiveness in these areas are not yet well understood.
Solution
We are working with potential stakeholders (i.e., individuals with visual impairments for the former project, and clinicians with experience treating anxiety for the latter) to design useful systems for real end users. In our evaluations, we aim to identify significant differences between our research systems and current state-of-the-art solutions in these areas.
Publications
- Anisha Bontula, Kyler Jones, Sean Buchmeier, Cristina Wilson, and Naomi T. Fitter, "Evaluating a Soft Robotic Vest’s Ability to Reduce General Anxiety," Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Human and Robot Interactive Communication (RO-MAN), Pasadena, CA, USA, 2024. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Anisha Bontula, Jai'La Lee Crider, Rafael Morales Mayoral, and Naomi T. Fitter, "Exploratory in situ Evaluation of the OptiBand: A Haptic Navigation Aid for Spatial Perception," Technology and Disability, 2024. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Ryan Quick, Anisha Bontula, Karina Puente, and Naomi T. Fitter, "Using the OptiBand to Increase the Long-Range Spatial Perception of People with Vision Disabilities," Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Human and Robot Interactive Communication (RO-MAN), Busan, Korea, 2023. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Anisha Bontula, Rhian C. Preston, Emily Shannon, Cristina Wilson, and Naomi T. Fitter, "Deep Pressure Therapy: A Promising Anxiety Treatment for Individuals with High Touch Comfort?," IEEE Transactions on Haptics, 2023. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Anisha Bontula, Rhian C. Preston, Emily Shannon, and Naomi T. Fitter, "Pilot Human User Evaluation of the Automatic Inflatable Deep Pressure Therapy Vest," Proceedings of the 2022 IROS Assistive Robots in the Real World Workshop, IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Kyoto, Japan, 2022. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Ryan Quick, Anisha Bontula, Karina Puente, and Naomi T. Fitter, "Investigating Haptics-Supported Spatial Perception with the OptiBand: A Wearable Haptic Feedback Device," Proceedings of the PHRI Workshop help in conjunction with the International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Philadelphia, PA, USA, 2022. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Anisha Bontula, Rhian C. Preston, Emily Shannon, and Naomi T. Fitter, "Pilot Human User Evaluation of the Automatic Inflatable Deep Pressure Therapy Vest," Proceedings of the Haptics Symposium Mentoring Forum, Santa Barbara, CA, USA (remote), 2022. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Anisha Bontula, Rafael Morales, and Naomi T. Fitter, "In-the-Wild Evaluations of OptiBand: A Haptic Navigation Aid for Blind Individuals," Proceedings of the Workshop YOUR Study Design! Participatory Critique and Refinement of Participants Studies Workshop, held in conjunction with HRI, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan (remote), 2022. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Ryan Quick, Anisha Bontula, and Naomi T. Fitter, "Comparing the Perception of Vibrotactile Feedback across Frequency and Body Location," IEEE Haptics Symposium Conference, Santa Barbara, CA, USA (remote), 2022. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Ryan Quick, Karina Puente, Anisha Bontula, and Naomi T. Fitter, "Extending the Depth Perception of People Who Are Blind," Accepted to the IEEE World Haptics Conference (Work-in-Progress Paper), Montreal, Canada (remote), 2021. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Hannah Brown, Emily Shannon, and Naomi T. Fitter, "Design and Preliminary Evaluation of the AID Vest: An Automatic Inflatable Wearable Device for Anxiety Reduction," Paper accepted to the IEEE World Haptics Conference, Montreal, Canada (remote), 2021. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Ryan Quick and Naomi T. Fitter, "Comparing the Perception of Vibrotactile Feedback on the Anterior and Posterior Sides of Wrists, Elbows, Ankles, and Knees," Proceedings of the IEEE Haptics Symposium Conference (Work-in-Progress Paper), Washington, D.C., USA (remote), 2020. [BibTeX] [PDF]
- Rebecca P. Khurshid, Naomi T. Fitter, Elizabeth A. Fedalei, and Katherine J. Kuchenbecker, "Effects of grip-force, contact, and acceleration feedback on a teleoperated pick-and-place task," IEEE Transactions on Haptics, 2017. [BibTeX] [PDF]