Feeling Stories: Using Haptic Inputs to Enrich Story Listening for Young Children
June 2015 | Publications
Problem
Traditional story listening is losing its appeal to other entertainment technology such as video games. How can haptic feedback help children maintain interest in stories they listen to?
Goal
To design haptic feedback that fits in children's stories and helps them better focus on the stories they listen to.

Traditional story listening is losing its appeal to other entertainment technology such as video games. Hence, there is growing interest in studying the influence of ancillary media such as sound and interactive effects, although haptic sensory input has remained relatively unexploited. We implemented a haptic vest that generates vibrotactile stimulation related to story content to augment story listening. The results provide initial evidence that haptic effects can potentially enhance the reading/listening experience of children beyond 4 years.