Designing a model human cochlea: issues and challenges in crossmodal audio-haptic displays

  • Authors:
  • Maria Karam;Deborah I. Fels

  • Affiliations:
  • Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada;Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 2008 Ambi-Sys workshop on Haptic user interfaces in ambient media systems
  • Year:
  • 2008

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Abstract

In this paper, we describe a Model Human Cochlea (MHC), a sensory substitution technique aimed at translating some of the emotional content expressed in music onto a haptic ambient display. We present some of the issues and challenges encountered in designing the model. This research is situated within the domain of crossmodal displays, with specific focus on enhancing the entertainment experience associated with film audio for users who are deaf or hard of hearing. The interface, in its final form factor, will be integrated into an EmotiChair, a multi-sensory entertainment interface that supports crossmodal audio-haptic display interactions. To assist with the design of the MHC, we have developed a flexible prototype to support research in cross-modal audio-haptic displays. Details of the multidisciplinary design process that has informed the development of the the MHC prototype, and the evaluation methodology adopted to explore the different configurations of the MHC are presented.