FeltSight
Becoming Moles with "FeltSight": Hyper-sensitizing the Surrounding through Mixed Reality Haptic Proximity Gloves
FeltSight is a mixed reality sensory-substitution experience that reimagines human perception through an alternative tactile umwelt, inspired by the star-nosed mole's unique tactile navigation.
A Tactile Umwelt
Users engage in meditative wandering, guided by extended-range haptic sensing and subtle visual cues. High-precision vibrotactile actuators on each finger re-sensitize touch and simulate material textures, enabling users to "feel" environmental surfaces at a distance.
Bio-Inspired Design
The glove design is inspired by the star-nosed mole's tactile navigation and the formation of 22 tentacles around its nose. This more-than-human reference shifts FeltSight away from visual mastery toward active, tactile sensing.
Mixed-Reality Haptic System
The mixed reality headset provides a deliberately subtle "reduced reality," showing nearby objects as dynamic point clouds and visualizing touched textures on surrounding surfaces. A texture-dependent pipeline links environmental sound acquisition to haptic rendering and playback.
