Sensory substitution

Sensory substitution refers to the use of one sensory modality to supply environmental information normally gathered by another sense. It is a non-invasive technique used to compensate for the loss of one sense, typically sight or hearing, by feeding its information through another channel.

Overview

Sensory substitution systems generally consist of three parts: a sensor, a coupling system, and a stimulator. The sensor records stimuli and gives them to the coupling system, which interprets these signals and transmits them to the stimulator. In the case of visual-to-tactile sensory substitution, information from a video camera (sensor) may be converted into vibrations (stimulator) on a person's back, allowing them to perceive visual aspects of their environment through touch.

Types of Sensory Substitution

Visual-to-Tactile Sensory Substitution

In visual-to-tactile sensory substitution, a video camera records visual information and a coupling system converts this into tactile stimuli. This is often used to assist individuals with severe visual impairments.

Auditory-to-Tactile Sensory Substitution

Auditory-to-tactile sensory substitution involves converting auditory information into tactile stimuli. This can be used to help individuals with severe hearing impairments perceive sounds through touch.

Tactile-to-Auditory Sensory Substitution

In tactile-to-auditory sensory substitution, tactile information is converted into auditory stimuli. This can be used to help individuals with severe tactile impairments perceive touch through sound.

Applications

Sensory substitution has a wide range of applications, particularly in the field of rehabilitation medicine. It can be used to assist individuals with sensory impairments, such as those caused by stroke, spinal cord injury, or neurodegenerative diseases. It can also be used in the development of assistive devices for individuals with disabilities.

See Also

• Neuroplasticity
• Assistive technology
• Rehabilitation (neuropsychology)

References

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