Haptic Vision
#UX Design #VR/AR #Unity
Haptic Vision is an inclusive technology that allows individuals to navigate their physical surroundings with greater ease and understanding.
Timeline
Jan 13 - 15, 2023 (2.5 days)
Project Type
MIT Reality Hackathon, Semi-Finalist
My Role
UX Research & Design, Prototype & Test, Branding
Tools
Figma, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, HapTx Haptic Gloves, HTC Vive Pro Eye, Unity
Team
Winny Wang (UX designer), Christine Saderr (UX designer), Kyle Diaz-Castro (UX designer), Leon Kipkoech (Developer), Malmon Powers (Developer)
My Contribution
UX Research & Design: user interview; literature research; design interactions
Prototype & Test: experiment the haptic gloves for prototyping; conduct user tests and document feedback
Branding: design visual content, presentation
Introduction
MIT Reality Hackathon — Semi-Finalist
Over 2.5 days at the MIT Reality Hack, 350+ participants built VR/AR projects from scratch. Our team of 5 designed and prototyped Haptic Vision — an inclusive XR navigation tool for visually impaired individuals — earning Semi-Finalist status and feature coverage in organizational videos.
Problem
Navigating as a Visually Impaired Person
How might we utilize XR technology and design a smart navigation tool for the visually impaired?
Visually impaired users have a difficult time navigating their environment confidently. Existing tools like white canes provide limited spatial awareness and no sense of distance or object detail.
Research
Exploring XR Solutions
We explored three solution directions: visual enhancements, audio-based systems, and haptic feedback. We conducted user research with visually impaired individuals to understand their pain points, how they perceive their environment, the tools they currently use, and what they desire from a new solution.
Design
MVP: Haptic Feedback Navigation
We selected the haptic feedback approach — detecting nearby objects and using haptics to let users feel how far each object is. The color palette was designed to be tritanopia color-blind friendly, ensuring the product is inclusive across multiple visual conditions.
By utilizing sound and haptic feedback, Haptic Vision is an extension of a traditional seeing cane, enabling users to sense the presence of nearby objects and furniture. The closer they get to an object, the stronger and more detailed the sensation becomes.
Build
Technologies & Implementation
- Unity 19.4.31f
- HapTx 2.0.0 beta 8
- HTC Vive Pro Eye with Lighthouses
- HapTx haptic gloves
Physical Environment / Mixed Reality: Created 3D environment model using SR Works
Hand Tracking: Implemented via HapTx SDK
Object Detection: SR Works AI identified common objects (chairs, tables)
Distance Approximation: Unity ray casting determined hand-to-object distance
Haptics: Frequency range 15-30 Hz based on distance
Testing
Testing with Users
The user wears the gloves and headset and uses their hands to sense the room from the haptic feedback. The closer they get to objects, the stronger the vibration.
We're the first group in history to make a haptic XR experience with these gloves.
Vision
Inclusive Design & Future
Our product is designed for individuals of all abilities. For those with visual impairments, Haptic Vision is an essential tool that can assist in understanding and navigating their environment. For those without visual impairments, it offers a unique, empathetic experience.
We envision Haptic Vision as a pioneering solution for the future of navigation — a glimpse into the next 5-10 years, where innovative technologies will revolutionize how people with visual impairments interact with the world around them.