Multi-Sensor Haptic Headset

An Arduino-powered wearable that provides real-time haptic feedback for obstacle detection and size estimation. Five ultrasonic sensors around the head each drive a dedicated vibration motor. When two adjacent sensors detect a similar object, a brief "burst" alert communicates overlap or size.

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Table of Contents

1. Features
2. Hardware Requirements
3. Software Requirements
4. Usage
5. Future Enhancements
6. Contact

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Features

• 5-Sensor Array
  Covers front, sides, and rear for 360° awareness.
• Three Vibration Modes
  1. Normal – continuous vibration strength ∝ proximity
  2. Change-Detect – pulses on abrupt distance changes
  3. Radar – pulsing rate increases as you get closer
• Burst Alerts
  Full-power pulses when obstacles span two adjacent sensors.
• 2-Second Hold Mode Switch
  Hold hand within 5 cm of any sensor for 2 s to cycle modes.
• Serial Debugging
  Live logs of distances, PWM levels, mode, and burst status.

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Hardware Requirements

• Arduino Nano (or UNO)
• 5× HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensors
• 5× 5 V vibration motors (PWM-drivable)
• Breadboard and jumper wires
• 5 V power source (USB or battery pack)

2 Open the sketch - Launch Arduino IDE - File → Open → multiSensorVibe.ino 3 Select board & port - Tools → Board → "Arduino Nano" (or UNO) - Tools → Port → your device port 4 Upload - Click the Upload ► button

Usage

1	Power on the headset.
2	Open the Serial Monitor at 9600 baud.
3	Approach an obstacle → motors vibrate in Normal mode.
4	Hold hand < 5 cm from any sensor for 2 s → two beeps indicate mode change.
5	Observe new haptic pattern in Change-Detect or Radar modes.

Mode	Name	Behavior
0	Normal	Continuous vibration strength ∝ proximity
1	Change-Detect	Pulses when distance changes by > 10 cm
2	Radar	Pulses at a rate inversely ∝ distance; closer → faster pulses with strength mapped to PWM

Future Enhancements

- Replace blocking delay() calls with a millis()-based scheduler for non-blocking updates
- Add EEPROM storage to remember the last used mode across power cycles
- Integrate a manual mode-select button for instant control
- Design a compact PCB or shield for a polished wearable prototype
- Explore IMU integration for head-movement awareness

Contact

- Maintainer: Parth Chougule (peerless_parth@outlook.com)
- Club: PSU ASME Assistive-Tech Team
- Slack Channel: #assistive-tech

For support or questions, open an issue on GitHub or message us on Slack.

Software Requirements

• Arduino IDE (v1.8+ or Arduino CLI)