Sensory substitution devices

A sensory substitution device comprising:

• a sensor operable, in use, to output sensor data representative of an environment in which the sensory substitution device is being used by a user of the sensory substitution device;
• and
• a mechanism operable to cause the sensory substitution device to change shape, based on the output data, with motion that is not plane-constrained, whereby to provide proprioceptive output to the user.

A sensory substitution device comprising:

• a shape-change mechanism operable to cause the sensory substitution device to change shape, based on spatial sensor data captured by a spatial sensor, to provide kinaesthetic output to a user of the sensory substitution device, wherein the kinaesthetic output is indicative of a target position.

A sensory substitution device comprising:

• a force-based mechanism operable to cause the sensory substitution device to provide kinaesthetic output to a user of the sensory substitution device based on spatial sensor data captured by a spatial sensor, wherein the kinaesthetic output is indicative of a target position.

A sensory substitution device comprising:

• a force-based mechanism operable to cause the sensory substitution device to provide kinaesthetic output to a user of the sensory substitution device, wherein the kinaesthetic output is indicative of a path between the sensory substitution device and a target position, and wherein the path corresponds to a biomechanically optimal path to the target position relative to a different, mathematically and/or spatially optimal path to the target position.

A sensory substitution device comprising:

• an elongate body;
• and
• a mechanism operable to cause the sensory substitution device to provide kinaesthetic output to a user of the sensory substitution device based on spatial sensor data captured by a spatial sensor, wherein the kinaesthetic output directs the user to point the elongate body of the sensory substitution device at a target position.

A sensory substitution device comprising:

• a mechanism operable to cause the sensory substitution device to provide kinaesthetic output to a user of the sensory substitution device;
• and
• a tilt compensator to compensate the kinaesthetic output for tiling of the sensory substitution device by the user.

A sensory substitution device comprising a mechanism operable to cause the sensory substitution device to provide kinaesthetic output to a user of the sensory substitution device, wherein the substitution device is operable to provide kinaesthetic output to guide a user of the sensory substitution device and is also operable to provide kinaesthetic output to alert the user to the presence of an object.

A shape-changing sensory substitution device configured to perform non-linear actuation, wherein an amount of shape change of the sensory substitution device correlates non-linearly to an amount of error between a pointing position and a target position.