Development of a Sensory Vest for Hearingimpaired (Deaf) Individuals, Focusing on Sensory Substitution Through Haptic Feedback

Abstract

Deafness and hearing loss impact individuals globally, with over 1.5 billion people currently living with some degree of hearing impairment. Despite the medical advancements developed for deaf individuals, there are many limitations, including but not limited to ineffective amplification strategies and hardware inefficiencies. This paper proposes a novel method integrating adaptive thresholding, noise floor detection, and FFT-based analysis to address these limitations. This method is implemented in a wearable haptic feedback system (Vest) designed to translate audio cues into tactile signals in real-time. The potential for practical application in noisy environments and its ability to adjust to fluctuating noise levels set this innovation distinctive. Following successful testing in real-world settings, the haptic motors integrated in this invention reacted appropriately to varying sound levels. A userfriendly graphical interface was also developed to display sound levels and provide user control over sensitivity and intensity settings. These features make this system versatile and effective for everyday use for hard-of-hearing individuals.