Biometric Visceral Interface

Collaboration with Jing Yan, Yin Yu, Visuo-Haptic System, Social VR, 2018

The concept of a Biometric Visceral Interface originates from a search for an alternative to the visual presentation of biometric data. Departing from the habit brought by the spectacular society of seeing and understanding, Biometric Visceral Interfaces challenge the common practices of communication based upon visual memory and quantified abstraction of biological phenomena. The aim of such interfaces is to extend human perception of body in-formation beyond visual paradigm and semiotic objects. A set of biomorphic designs of soft robotic prosthetics is introduced here to define a new human-machine interface that allows the users to have affective interpersonal communication. We describe how a multi-sensory immersive system can reconstruct a user’s body schema in virtual space and visceralize biometric data into the user’s body as a new way to perceive the presence of others.

System Design

Our BVI system builds upon the design requirements for interpersonal haptic communication featured in the BPI, such as real-time biometric signal sensing, pulse simulation, on-body soft actuation, and push-pull connectivity for fast and portable linking between users. In order to integrate immersive visual experience to alter a user’s self-body awareness, we identified new design requirements: extended range of movement that the user can walk with the device in physical space, quick placement on body and release, hands-free biometric signal sensing and haptic actuation, and networkability and software integration for social VR applications. These design constraints required us to formulate a new system by taking VR system as a critical factor into the design process.