Augmenting interoceptive awareness with off-the-shelf sensors using visuo-haptic emotional stimulus

Abstract

Wearable sensing technologies allow us to monitor and track a wealth of information about bodily states. Tracking applications rely on abstract numerical or graphical visualizations to make this information accessible to us. However, these visualizations can be hard to interpret, and even be harmful to already vulnerable groups. Hence, we propose to give feedback in the form of an enhanced heart rate interoception and an embodied artificial agent. This method relies on the person’s inherent understanding of their own body. It is a subtle and more natural way to gauge the meaning of off-the-shelf sensors’ feedback. A wearable pet prototype that presents emotion through visuo-haptic feedback is evaluated in a match and a mismatch group. Participants in both groups answered self-report and perceived affect of the interoceptive feedback without significant differences. However, the groups’ perceived closeness to the pet differed significantly.