A system for spatial representation of regions of interest for a visually impaired or blind person, comprises the following elements: at least one tactile map comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the tactile map having tactile reference marks on the top surface and corresponding contact areas on the bottom surface, each tactile reference mark corresponding to a region of interest; a keyboard with a matrix of contact points configured to come into contact with the corresponding contact areas in response to pressure exerted on the tactile map positioned on the keyboard; and an electronic audio box, which can be actuated by the keyboard, the electronic audio box being provided with a multitude of audio recordings, each audio recording being associated with each tactile reference mark on the top surface of the tactile map.

Electromechanical actuators may be constructed as cylindrical elements with electrodes position around the cylindrical element. The electrodes may receive an electrical signal that causes a core material in the electromechanical actuator to change shape, thus providing haptic feedback to a user, such as when the actuators are integrated with a display screen of a smart phone. A position of the electrodes around the core material may affect a mode of operation of the electromechanical actuators. In one configuration, two electrodes may be located at opposite ends of the cylindrical element along a long axis of the cylinder. In another configuration, two electrodes may be located opposite each other along a circumference of the cylinder. Signals may be applied to the electrodes to generate vibrational feedback or textures on the display screen.

A tactile stimulus presentation device includes a stage, a contact member, a drive mechanism, an information setting part, and a control part. The stage includes an opening and an arrangement surface, the arrangement surface on which a body part of a subject is arranged thereon so as to close the opening. The contact member is for giving a tactile stimulus to the subject by being in contact with the body part of the subject arranged on the arrangement surface of the stage through the opening. The drive mechanism is a mechanism for holding the contact member and moving the contact member in a direction substantially parallel to the arrangement surface and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the arrangement surface. The information setting part is configured to set information to be presented by gibing tactile stimulation to the subject by tactile stimulation. The control part is configured to control the drive mechanism to present the information set by the information setting part by giving tactile stimulation to the body part of the subject arranged in abutment on the arrangement surface.

An adapter for a tactile display is disclosed. The adapter can be used with a tactile display, such as a display that presents braille characters, to change or modify what is presented to a user. In some embodiments, the braille dots which make up a braille character can be made smaller or larger; spaced closer together or further apart; have a different shape; and/or an image or non-braille characters can be presented to a user of the tactile display using the disclosed adapter.

Disclosed is a tablet with an improved Braille display. The Braille display employs a pin array that allows for the selective use of either six or eight pin cells. This is accomplished by turning off or on a pin pair adjacent to each cell. The spacing of the pins also allows capacitive sensors to be located adjacent to each Braille cell. These sensors are used to determine the location of the user's finger upon the display. The pin spacing further allows geometric shapes to be generated in additional to text.

According to one embodiment, a method, computer system, and computer program product for dynamic braille actuation is provided. The embodiment may include receiving a plurality of media. The embodiment may also include translating one or more visual elements of the received plurality of media to braille. The embodiment may further include generating a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the one or more translated visual elements on a surface of a stretchable display screen using microfluidic actuation.

A refreshable braille display device is provided comprising a plurality of Braille pins running through a perforated body of the reader, the pins arranged in the spacing and order of Braille dots of standard Braille cells. The Braille reader may be coupled to a device for Braille text generation via selective hammering or impacting of Braille pins. From a default position where all pins of the reader are raised relative to a first, front surface of the reader, one or more pins are selectively impacted in a sequence to create a Braille pattern of raised and lowered pins based on a desired text conversion.

In some embodiments, a haptic device comprises first and second multi-dimensional spatial haptic devices. The first spatial haptic device includes a handle to represent a location of one object in a virtual document or space. The second spatial haptic device includes a handle to represent a location of another object in the same virtual document or space. The first and the second handles are spatially registered with respect to each other. In some embodiments, a third spatial haptic device includes a handle to represent a location of yet another object in a virtual document or space.

The present invention discloses completely digitized, smart, interactive and connected system (100) for braille learning. The invention also provides platform for consuming coupled audio-braille tactile lessons that include voice and braille data input or output serving as educational tool for visually challenged. The smart interactive system comprises a braille keyboard (117), a digital braille 10 slate (116), a proximity touch sensor (120) for input, a large braille display (110) and standard braille display (108), a vibration motor (119) and a speaker (113) for haptic and audio data output. The digital braille slate (116) gives both mechanical tactile feedback and audio feedback via speaker (115) as each braille dots are pressed using the stylus (306). The system (100) is connected to the internet 15 allowing for remote software and content updates and upload of data on usage metrics.

An apparatus comprising a solenoid having a first electrical input signal at a first frequency and a second electrical input signal at a second frequency; a first taxel, comprising a magnetic portion, located above an end of the solenoid, wherein the first taxel has a first mechanical resonance frequency such that applying the first electrical input signal to the solenoid causes the first taxel to vibrate; a second taxel, comprising a magnetic portion located above the end of the solenoid, wherein the second taxel has a second mechanical resonance frequency, different from the first mechanical resonance frequency, such that applying the second electrical input signal to the solenoid causes the second taxel to vibrate.