Flow-Centred Design & Haptic Learning Experiences
We evaluate and co-design tactile interactions with blind and sighted people that facilitate clear, engaging, immersive learning experiences, beyond standard accessible educational interfaces.
Publications
-
Mid-air haptic rendering of 2D geometric shapes with a dynamic tactile pointer
DOI: 10.1109/TOH.2020.2966445 · Publisher · PDF · Accessible HTML
-
Communicating cosmology with multisensory metaphorical experiences
DOI: 10.22323/2.19020801 · Publisher · PDF · Accessible HTML
-
Closed haptioning: A demonstration of using mid-air haptics for improving accessibility of audio-visual content beyond closed captions and audio description
-
Improving immersive experiences for visitors with sensory impairments to the Aquarium of the Pacific
Media
-
📝
From Touch to Insight: Teaching Complex Charts with Tactile Models
We asked ourselves whether tactile charts can help blind or partially sighted people learn to understand more complex visualizations. While most accessibility work has focused on simple bar or line charts, professional and scientific contexts often rely on more advanced forms such as UpSet plots, clustered heatmaps, violin plots, and faceted line charts. To address this gap, we worked closely with colleagues at the Visualization Design Lab, University of Utah, to design 3D-printed tactile template charts and accompanying exploration instructions for these chart types.
-
📝
A new channel of access to educational multimedia
Captions and audio description are powerful tools for making films and educational videos more inclusive. But sometimes, words alone can’t capture what’s happening on screen. Imagine trying to describe the swirling motion of an animation or the sharp outline of a geometric shape—much of the richness gets lost.
-
📝
Sensing the Cosmos: A Journey Through Dark Matter
Dark matter makes up a quarter of our universe—yet it is invisible, untouchable, and mysterious. We asked ourselves: what if people could not only learn about dark matter, but feel it?
-
📝
Multisensory Storytelling at the Aquarium of the Pacific
What if you could feel the ocean—waves, ripples, even the turning of wind turbines—without touching water at all? That’s what we, led by a team of haptic experience designers at Ultraleap Limited, explored at the Aquarium of the Pacific in California; where we worked with staff to make their new immersive theatre more inclusive for visitors who are blind, deaf, or wheelchair users.
-
📝
Feeling Shapes in Mid-Air
Imagine “touching” a triangle drawn on your palm—without anything actually touching you. That’s mid-air haptics: focused ultrasound creates tiny points of pressure you can feel in space.
-
🎧
Drawing tactile shapes in mid-air
In this podcast episode, our AI hosts discuss how mid-air haptics can improve 2D shape recognition. They reveal that dynamic tactile pointers significantly enhance accuracy and confidence. Notably, introducing pauses at corners for polygons drastically improves recognition, with optimal durations of 300 ms for squares and 467 ms for triangles. They also explore applications in in-car interfaces and assistive technology.
-
🎧
Making Waves with Ultrasound at the Aquarium of the Pacific
You'll hear how a team of researchers, designers, and movie producers throughout our collaboration with Ultraleap Limited and the Aquarium of the Pacific used mid-air haptics to make movie experiences immersive for visitors with sensory impairments, boosting engagement and inclusivity.
-
🎧
How Multi-Sensory Exhibits Make Dark Matter Tangible
This podcast delves into a pioneering project that transforms how we understand cosmology. Discover how a unique multisensory experience, incorporating taste, touch, smell, sound, and sight, makes abstract concepts like dark matter accessible and engaging for everyone, breaking down traditional barriers in science communication.
-
🎧
Accessible multimedia through closed haptions
Tune in to discover how mid-air haptics are revolutionising accessibility beyond traditional closed captions and audio descriptions. We delve into the innovative Dynamic Tactile Pointer technology, exploring how it significantly enhances the recognition of tactile shapes and introduces the concept of "closed haptions" for richer sensory content.
-
🎧
Mid-air haptics for science communication
Discover the groundbreaking potential of mid-air haptics in transforming science communication. This episode delves into how this innovative touch technology can make complex scientific concepts tangible and engaging, fostering enjoyment and interest among the public. You'll learn about its unique ability to create dynamic sensations, facilitate shared experiences, and offer flexible storytelling for diverse audiences.
-
🎧
Tactile charts for building mental models of complex data representations
Tune in to discover how tactile charts are transforming how blind and partially sighted learners get familiar with chart types unknown to them. This overview explores innovative 3D-printed designs for complex data visualisations and reveals how these hands-on tools significantly improve understanding and learning, addressing a crucial accessibility gap. You'll gain insights into the design process and the profound impact of tactile models on inclusive education.
-
🎬
Dark Matter: A Multi-Sensory Experience
On Oct 31st, 2018, researchers in astrophysics at Imperial College London and human-computer interaction at the University of Sussex created an installation at London's Science Museum. Their goal: to get the public to experience dark matter... with all their sense. Thanks to Dr Roberto Trotta ( @R_Trotta ) for the video!
-
🎬
Mid-air haptic rendering of 2D geometric shapes with a dynamic tactile pointer
In this video, we discuss ultrasonic mid-air haptic technology. More specifically, we illustrate how the technology uses focused, and modulated ultrasound to create tactile sensations in mid-air. Then, we introduce the concept of a dynamic tactile pointer (DTP). We also distinguish between a single-stroke, and a multi-stroke DTP. Contrasting these two novel methods of haptic rendering techniques, we illustrate how multi-stroke dynamic tactile pointers are more suitable for rendering tactile shapes in mid-air. For the purpose of the Eurohaptics 2020 demo session, we introduce SQuiz, a shape quiz, where you can try to feel the shapes and identify them at three difficulty levels, rendered in three different ways.
-
🎬
I can feel it moving: Science CommunicatorsTalking About the Potential of Mid-Air Haptics
This video explores how mid-air haptic technology can enhance science communication by creating flexible, engaging, and shared experiences. Through six prototype haptic probes across particle physics, quantum mechanics, and cell biology, workshops with expert science communicators revealed its potential to spark awareness, enjoyment, and interest. The findings suggest that mid-air haptics can complement existing tools like 3D printing and VR, offering a unique way to connect audiences with scientific concepts.
-
🎬
Seminar Presentation: Sonification World Chat (SWC) WOrkshop Series
In this video, Daniel Hajas gives an overview of his PhD research portfolio at the fourth workshop of the Sonification WOrld Chat workshop series. At the time of this presentation, Daniel is researching tangible user interfaces and actuators. His research is targeting the use of tactile experiences for purposes of provoking personal responses, which are known to be relevant in science communication, such as interest or enjoyment.