Sensing Vest for Feeling Object behind Person in Normal Direction of Skin Surface by Haptic Sense of Back

Abstract

A sensing vest is a wearable interface and a haptic interface. A person in the sensing vest feels the presence or absence of an object behind the person by haptic sense of back. The sensing vest is composed of a ranging and vibrator module, a vest and a band to wear the person. The module is composed of a 1D range sensor, a controller and a vibrator. The direction of ranging in the sensor is perpendicular to a vibration plane of the vibrator. The vibration plane contacts with the skin surface. The module can transmit the vibration to haptic sense as a function of the presence or absence of the object in the normal direction of the skin surface of back. One module is located on the back side of the sensing vest. The structure, the mechanism and the design condition of the module and the sensing vest were shown. The module and the sensing vest composed of the module were made. A condition of contact with the vibration plane and the skin surface was checked. The frequency of the vibration was measured. The vibration or non-vibration of the module was checked at the object behind the person.