HaptiShare: Exploring Shared Co-Located Haptic Experiences with a Mobile Multi-Party Haptic Communication Device

Social Haptic Communication (SHC) is a tactile communication method enabling the transmission of messages through touch, commonly used by interpreters to communicate environmental and social information to Deafblind individuals. While prior work has explored the use of vibrotactile patterns to replicate SHC at a distance, current technologies only allow one-to-one interactions, limiting their use in group settings or one-to-many communication. In this paper, we introduce HaptiShare, a novel assistive communication device that facilitates one-to-many social haptic communication. HaptiShare uses a mobile interface connected to multiple wearable haptic vests, leveraging a tactile interpolation technique to generate smooth, two-dimensional vibrotactile signals with variable speed, intensity, and direction that resemble natural touch movements. Preliminary user testing highlights its potential in supporting interpreters working with a group of Deafblind people, enhancing educational inclusivity, and improving group communication in social and professional contexts. HaptiShare contributes to a growing body of haptic communication devices for accessibility, enabling simultaneous communication with multiple recipients and enhancing accessibility for Deafblind individuals in shared environments.