While vibrotactile stimulation shows promise for sensory substitution devices, a crucial question concerns vibrotactile spatial resolution. We examined the optimum distance between three voice coil actuators (model: lofeltL5) on the forearm. Three actuators were embedded in a fabric-based vibrotactile sleeve where the actuators were placed in enclosures 3D-printed on the fabric. We used the relative point localization method where observers must discriminate whether two successive stimulations are in the same location or not. The resolution was measured for five vibrotactile sleeves, each with different distances between the actuators on the longitudinal axis of the forearm. The various distances were tested in a random order. In experiment one, pairs of stimuli were delivered sequentially in a random order to two adjacent actuators of the tactile sleeve on the upper side of the forearm. The task was to identify the perceived direction of the second stimulation (up, down, or the same) relative to the first one. Experiment two involved the same procedure but for the underside of the forearm. Taking the restrictions of the physical dimensions of the forearm and the design considerations into account, our results suggest that 20 mm is the optimum distance between the voice coil actuators (Model: Lofelt L5) for successful discrimination with high accuracy between the two stimulus locations on the forearm. There were no significant differences between the upper and undersides of the forearm.

This study presents a new design of a wearable vibrotactile device — a tactile sleeve consisting of three voice coil actuators (Model: Lofelt L5). The device was made within an R&D project aimed at developing a wearable for enhancing the music perception of cochlear implant recipients. The aim is to provide tactile stimulation in addition to the cochlear implant stimulation — generating an audio-tactile music experience. We also present the results of an experiment performed to investigate whether the sleeve can be used to identify songs from tactile stimulation and investigate the effects of different encodings. Five short music segments were used, and the tactile stimulation provided by each voice coil actuator conveyed song information (Bass or drum). Participants had intact hearing. At the beginning of the experiment, the participants listened to one song via headphones. Afterward, they were presented with various tactile encodings of the songs in random order. Their task was to identify the encoding of the song that was played. In this experiment, an investigation of the best combination of information from the bass versus drums was conducted. The results confirm that the sleeve can provide tactile stimulation that can be used to identify songs without audio. The results also provide insights into which encodings are most useful for conveying music.