Haplós: Vibrotactile Somaesthetic Technology for Body Awareness

Abstract

Inspired by somatic methodologies and neurophysiology, Haplós is a low-cost, wearable technology that applies vibrotactile patterns to the skin, can be incorporated in existing clothing and implements, and can be programmed and activated remotely. We review existing vibrotactile technologies and known uses of vibrotactile stimuli; describe the hardware, textile, and software components of Haplós; describe results from a quasi-experimental workshop to evaluate Haplós; and discuss future research and development directions.