Tactile Illusion-Produced Number Perception in Blind and Sighted Persons

Abstract

To determine whether tactile receptive communication is possible in both sighted and blind persons through the use of a mechanical device that creates the perception of continuous contact through sequential points of vibration on the skin and whether the ability of these two groups differs. The cohort consisted of 20 sighted and 20 blind subjects who had no prior exposure to a tactile communication device that produces a tactile illusion. Each subject was presented number sequences created by the tactile illusion in the form of single-digit, three-digit, and four-digit sequences, and the number of trials needed for correct identification was recorded. On average, the sighted subjects tended to identify the digit sequences sooner than did the blind subjects by almost one trial; however, this difference was not statistically significant. Younger subjects and female subjects also tended to identify the digit sequences sooner. Nevertheless, the overall correlation between age and number of trials across all replications was relatively minor. Tactile receptive communication is possible through the use of a mechanical device used to create tactile illusions. The tactile illusion of numbers is equally perceived by blind and sighted persons.