Effects of Passive Haptic Learning in Music-Supported Therapy on Sensorimotor Performance in Older Adult Hands: A Randomized Crossover Trial

Background: Music-supported therapy (MST), a type of biofeedback therapy with multi-sensory information input, has been proposed as an effective approach to improving motor control in people with sensorimotor deficits. However, currently, MST training is restricted to being extensively applied for patients with various levels of defects in fine motor skills and cognitive functions. Therefore, the integration of passive haptic learning (PHL) with MST has been adopted as a motor training strategy intended to enhance “motor memory” learning through the use of vibration stimuli. The current study was designed to investigate differences in the sensorimotor performance of older adults’ hands under baseline, a single session of standard MST, and PHL-based MST conditions. Methods: Thirty healthy older adults were recruited and randomized to receive either the single session of 30-minutes of PHL-based MST or 30-minutes of standard MST at the beginning of the experiment. After a one-week washout period, they switched their treatment programs and then were assessed to study the training effects of both approaches through measuring precision pinch performance, hand function, and sensory status. Results: The results of the Pinch-Holding-Up Activity test revealed a statistically significant difference in the FRpeak parameter (F = 14.37, p < 0.001, η² = 0.507) under the PHL-based MST condition compared to the baseline and standard MST conditions. In addition, significant beneficial effects were found on the results of the barognosis (F = 19.126, p < 0.001, η² = 0. 577) and roughness differentiation subtests (F = 15.036, p < 0.001, η² = 0.518) in the Manual Tactile Test for the participants in the PHL-based MST group. In addition, the participants under both the standard MST and PHL-based MST conditions exhibited better performance in the three subtests of the Purdue Pegboard Test as compared to under the baseline condition (p < 0.016). Conclusions: The findings indicated that PHL-based MST potentially improves the precision pinch performance of hands in healthy older adults. In addition, the add-on effect of vibrotactile stimulation to the MST condition provides beneficial effects on the sensory functions of the upper extremities. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT04802564

Investigating Retention in Passive Haptic Learning of Piano Songs

Passive haptic learning (PHL) is a phenomenon where one is able to acquire new motor skills through repeated haptic stimuli applied to the body without paying active attention to learning. In the following work, we investigated the retention of passively learned material compared to actively learned material. For the purposes of answering this question, we invited 20 individuals to learn a 10-note sequence actively and a 10-note sequence passively on a piano. The subjects were then tested 3 days later on their remembered material. There was no significant difference between passive and active learning when the subjects played the note sequences from memory. After being cued (auditory and visually) the participants were able to recall the passively learned note sequence significantly better.

Learning Style Preferences in College Students with Different Majors

In this study, we investigated the learning style preferences of college students with different majors and the relationship between learning styles and the majors. In total, 120 English as a foreign language college students with different majors from Taiwan participated. Descriptive statistical analysis and the chi-square test results indicated that learners across majors generally preferred the visual learning style. However, business and information technology majors preferred the auditory learning style and design majors preferred the haptic learning style. Nevertheless, although learning background may play a vital role in the development of a student’s learning style, the differences between learning style preferences and educational background were non-significant. Learning style preferences may also relate to other variables and may change over time, across contexts, and between different tasks.

Enacting Elementary Geometry: Participatory ‘Haptic’ Sense-Making

A central assumption within the embodied cognition paradigm is that particular action experiences are instrumental in providing children with sensorimotor contingencies that form the foundation for conceptualisation of and, later, communication of mathematical ideas. Digital technology designs that foster specific movements offer promising foundations for young children’s mathematical learning, together with haptic technologies that newly bring tactile sensorimotor experiences for children to draw on. This article reports on a qualitative study examining the role of a haptic learning environment supporting 7–8-year-old children’s embodied exploration of 3D shape. It examined the in situ dynamic unfolding of interaction of pairs of children, as they engaged with a haptic device. Multimodal analysis was focused on the process of how the prescribed enaction of the device-mediated interaction, the kinds of action experiences and action schemes it elicited and the strategies children collaboratively developed to complete tasks. Findings show how specific action experiences and, later, communication experiences, were shaped, not only by the prescribed enaction of the design, but also by embodied participatory sense-making, and demonstrate the potential for haptic technology in mediating new learning experiences for mathematics.

Using Game Engines for Visuo-Haptic Learning Simulations

Technological advances have been the main driver of enhancing human–computer interaction and interactive simulations have experienced exponential growth in recent years. However, visual and auditory channels are usually the only ones considered for educational simulations even though the sense of touch is also an important one. Touch allows us to recognize and interact with our surroundings. A common way to develop a visuo-haptic simulation in the area of interactive systems is by using a graphic and physics-based engine orchestrated with a haptic rendering framework. However, new solutions, such as professional game engines, have enabled the development of high-quality applications in much shorter time. In this paper, a novel architecture for fast development of interactive visuo-haptic applications in game engines is discussed. To validate the proposed architecture, the Haptic Device Integration for Unity (HaDIU) plugin was implemented. Simulations were implemented to verify the operability of haptic devices. Each scenario was properly modelled and has different haptic objectives. Furthermore, to validate that the usage of this approach provides better visualizations than an existing single purpose application, an experimental study was performed. Results suggest that by using this approach faster development of interactive visuo-haptic simulators can be achieved than using traditional techniques.

Passive Haptic Learning of Taiwanese Braille Writing for Visually Impaired Individuals

In this article, a passive haptic learning method for Taiwanese Braille writing was developed for visually impaired individuals through the employment of an effective user-friendly learning strategy. This system was designed with portability and low cost by applying the learning concept of passive haptic learning. This system designed a pair of gloves for visually impaired people to study Braille writing. Furthermore, we also designed a Braille writing teaching system for visually impaired people to learn and practice the Braille writing. Depending on the learning content, the corresponding vibration motors on the glove fingertips vibrate to produce the Taiwan Braille input gestures. The visually impaired people then feel tactile vibration feedback from the glove fingertips. In addition, the corresponding auditory feedback is provided from the Braille writing teaching system. After receiving a series of tactile vibration feedback, user’s finger muscles could memorize the corresponding Braille input gestures by the passive haptic learning. In the practice mode, the teaching system randomly selects practice content and announces the selected content in an auditory manner. Visually impaired users must then input the corresponding Braille codes by using the Braille writing input module. This mode can further reinforce users’ memorization of correct Braille codes for Mandarin characters.

Capacitive Touch Sensitive Vibro-Haptic Typing Training System for the Visually Impaired

The proposed system implements a vibro-haptic glove device which works in tandem to a customized computer keyboard with capacitive touch sensitivity, facilitating a fast-paced typing method for the visually impaired. A normal keyboard is retro-fitted with a “capacitive sense” membrane that activates on human touch, along with a pair of fingerless haptic gloves with vibrators on each finger and a pair of Bluetooth earphones. The visually impaired user receives audible and haptic cues facilitating learning to type the correct key using the right finger on the computer keyboard. This utilizes the Passive-Haptic-Learning (PHL) paradigm for fast paced multisensory learning. A group of blind students were chosen and trained on this system for one month. There were pre and post training assessments conducted, and their scores compared. The findings showcased positive results.