Development and evaluation of innovative applications for wide-band haptics on HOP-Child's support platform for children with autism spectrum disorders

本项目研究了高性能振动触觉致动器在自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童及其护理人员支持平台中的附加值。HOP-Child开发的专有数字孪生平台将虚拟化身与具有生理传感器和多模态输出的智能手表联系起来，目前使用窄带振动触觉致动器来产生用于不同目的的触觉反馈，例如将儿童的注意力引导到化身上。该项目的目标是探索和评估宽带振动触觉致动器的好处，现有的和新的使用触觉反馈的HOP-Child的支持平台。我们将开发一个实验平台，能够产生振动与窄带和宽带振动触觉致动器（例如，线性谐振致动器和压电致动器），沿着计算机监视器或平板电脑上的视觉反馈。与此同时，我们将使用文献和构思活动的审查，以开发广泛的应用概念，其中宽带振动可能是有益的。这一概念性的努力将扩大目前在平台上使用触觉反馈的范围，例如注意力管理，以及已经确定的新的高潜力用途，例如情感交流和生物信号的自我意识。我们将使用设计漏斗方法来选择最有前途的概念来实现，并迭代地缩小我们的重点，并将应用程序概念从纸上模型细化为高保真原型。最有前途的概念将通过定量和定性研究与对ASD儿童有深入了解的个人进行实施和实验评估，包括HOP-Child和外部职业治疗师的利益相关者。该项目将为下一代HOP-Child可穿戴硬件的设计提供信息，并可能导致平台上集成创新的触觉驱动功能。

This project investigates the added value of high-performance vibrotactile actuators in a support platform for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their caregivers. The proprietary digital twin platform developed by HOP-Child ties an onscreen avatar to a smartwatch with physiological sensors and multimodal output, and currently uses narrow-band vibrotactile actuators to produce haptic feedback for different purposes, such as to direct the child's attention to the avatar. The goal of the project is to explore and evaluate the benefits of wide-band vibrotactile actuators for existing and novel uses of haptic feedback on HOP-Child's support platform. We will develop an experimental platform capable of producing vibrations with narrow-band and wide-band vibrotactile actuators (e.g., linear resonant actuators and piezoelectric actuators) on the wrist, along with visual feedback on a computer monitor or tablet. In parallel, we will use a review of the literature and ideation activities to develop a wide range of application concepts in which wide-band vibrations are likely to be beneficial. This conceptual effort will expand on current uses of haptic feedback on the platform, such as attention management, as well as novel high-potential uses that have already been identified, such as affective communication and self-awareness of biological signals. We will use a design funnel approach to select the most promising concepts for implementation, and to iteratively narrow our focus and refine application concepts from paper mock-ups to high-fidelity prototypes. The most promising concepts will be implemented and experimentally evaluated through quantitative and qualitative studies with individuals with a deep knowledge of children with ASD, including stakeholders at HOP-Child and external occupational therapists. The project will inform the design of the next generation of HOP-Child's wearable hardware and may lead to the integration of innovative haptic-driven functionalities on the platform.