Foot-based interfaces for navigational assistance of the visually impaired

This paper presents our work on foot-based interfaces that stimulate the plantar surface with vibrations. These vibrations convey spatial and temporal information that could be exploited in several domains such as virtual reality, sensory augmentation, sensory substitution, rehabilitation, robotics, games and entertainment, among others. One of the most challenging applications is perhaps the assistance of the visually impaired: vibrations can be perceived by users as cardinal directions that assist their navigation. Three prototypes of foot-based interfaces have been developed seeking to optimize user perception. Designs, prototypes, and perceptual results are presented and discussed. Results show the potentials of podotactile stimulation in assistive devices.