Evaluation of HaptiComm-S for Replicating Tactile ASL Numbers: A Comparative Analysis of Direct and Mediated Modalities

This research investigates the efficacy of HaptiComm-S, a haptic communication device designed to facilitate tactile communication for Deafblind individuals. The primary focus is on evaluating the device’s capability to replicate the tactile American Sign Language (ASL) numbers 0 to 10. Participants performed under two distinct conditions: direct ASL signing and mediated ASL signing through two modalities (Tap and Tap-and-Hold). Our findings demonstrate significant differences in performance between the Direct and Mediated ASL modes. Direct ASL consistently exhibited higher accuracy compared to mediated conditions. Mediated ASL conditions were prone to perceptual errors in number identification. Notably, specific numbers, such as 4, 7, 8, and 9, posed challenges in the mediated conditions, often resulting in confusion among participants. These findings contribute valuable insights for the ongoing refinement in the design of haptic communication devices tailored to the needs of the Deafblind community.