Dynamic 3D models
Representing changing digital 3D models in real time through a physical tactile surface.
Tactile display technology
Turning digital screens into touch.
HapticVision is developing a dynamic tactile display that lets blind and low vision users feel digital content. The system converts websites, user interfaces, and changing 3D models into touch-based experiences that can be explored in real time.
Researched with blind and low vision participants, students, and staff from OCAD University and the University of Toronto.
Why tactile access matters
Existing technology
Roughly 90% need work
In an AFB survey, only 9% of respondents rated online education tools accessible without difficulty.
AFB sourceUp to 3x more time
Blind and low vision learners can need substantially more time to complete visual or text-heavy tasks.
Teaching guidanceTouch adds context
Spatial information, interface structure, and changing content can be hard to understand through audio alone.
What we are building
A tactile layer for digital screens.
The project combines a physical tactile display with software that interprets digital content. It is designed for moments where spatial understanding matters: navigating a website, finding controls, reading interface structure, exploring a 3D model, or understanding visual information that audio cannot fully describe.
Physical representation
A taxel display that changes with the screen.
HapticVision is developing a dynamic array of tactile pixels, or taxels, that can rise and shift as digital content changes. Instead of a fixed raised printout, the surface is intended to refresh in real time so users can feel layouts, controls, charts, models, and interface changes as they happen.
Websites and UI
Converting websites and user interfaces into touch-based experiences that can be explored directly.
Spatial awareness
Supporting layout, direction, position, and relationships that are difficult to convey through sound alone.
Initial trial results
Early trials show content understanding nearly on par with sighted users, with up to 3x faster understanding compared to existing technology.
How it can help
More ways to understand digital content.
The tactile display is meant to add another channel of access. It can work alongside screen readers, magnification, and other assistive tools while giving users a physical sense of what is on screen.
Explore structure
Help users understand where elements are, how content is grouped, and how a digital surface is arranged.
Find interaction points
Make buttons, fields, menus, and key regions easier to locate, compare, and remember.
Follow change
Represent motion, updates, and directional information in a form that can be felt in real time.