Haptic Technology and Motion Capture to Make Dance More Accessible for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Abstract

This practice work seeks to explore how haptic and motion capture technology might be utilised to make the act of experiencing dance more accessible for a blind audience. Though visual impairment and blindness can mean differing things and speak to different experiences, this paper will utilise the term "blind audience" in reference to the group this technology will focus on. I had three guiding principles in this work: • Can dance be translated into a haptic experience for those who are visually impaired/blind? • Can this be done through designing a wearable garment that houses the haptic technology? • Can this experience shape or alter an individual's understanding of dance?