SBIR Phase II: Wearable Tactile Display System for Blind Individuals

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on the development of a novel system for communication with computer through touch, particularly relevant to blind individuals. The system includes a newly developed Tactile Display Device (TDD) technology with miniature thermo-fluidic actuators that uniquely revolutionizes the way humans interact with different machines and systems using a wearable tactile display. The proposed new technology is a significant breakthrough as the concept of sensing touch actuation based on bubble formation and vapor pressure has a wide potential for miniaturization, embedding, flexibility, and wearable possibilities with amplitude and force of actuation not achieved by other means so far. The specific objectives of the project are to improve the actuator modules and the TDD developed during Phase I of the project, so that the technology can be brought to market. The research will impact both the education and scientific segments of the market by addressing many challenges in application of bubble and vapor based motive power in miniature systems. Additionally, this outcomes of this work is expected to catalyze new avenues and variants discovered by the scientific community working in the areas of miniature actuators and systems, eventually leading to new innovations in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and in nanosystems. The research has very high societal impact potential as it addresses the blind population market segment that is somewhat neglected by the larger corporations due to its relatively smaller size. The blind population is not benefiting fully by the latest trend in information decimation increasingly through internet and computer based mediums. As these medium are highly graphic and visual in nature, alternate and enhanced interfaces with computers that use touch to convey information will be of great service and importance in making the visually impaired population more informed and productive.