Mobile Lorm Glove Tom Bieling | Ulrike Gollner ... - Well-Tech

Mobile Lorm Glove
Tom Bieling | Ulrike Gollner
Design Research Lab
Einsteinufer. n° 43
10587 Berlin, Germany
+49 175 180 95 88
tom.bieling@udk-berlin.de
www.design-research-lab.org
Via/Piazza……………………………………………………………………….……….… n°…………
CAP……............. Città ……………………………………..……………………… Prov. …………
Tom Bieling
Design Research Lab
+49 175 180 95 88
tom.bieling@udk-berlin.de
Tom Bieling
Design Research Lab
+49 175 180 95 88
tom.bieling@udk-berlin.de

Marginalized communities like deaf-blind people are excluded from several forms of
communication. The Design Research Lab has been developing the Mobile Lorm Glove, a
mobile communication and translation device for the deaf-blind. The prototype translates the
hand-touch alphabet “Lorm”, a common form of communication used by people with both
hearing and vision impairment, into text and vice versa.
The Mobile Lorm Glove provides particularly two innovative ways of communication for
deafblind people. It supports mobile communication over distance, e.g. text messages, SMS,
chat or email, and it enables parallel one-to-many communication, which is especially helpful in
school and other learning contexts. The impact is even stronger, when direct speech in- and
output is implemented. With this newly developed interaction technology, it will also soon
become possible to “feel” E-Books or Audiobooks.
The Mobile Lorm Glove functions as a simultaneous translator and makes communicating with
others without knowledge of “Lorm” possible. As a result, it empowers deafblind people to
engage with a wider social world, gain access to a broader range of information, and further
enhances their independence.
Short Video Link (2 min.): http://www.design-research-lab.org/?projects=mobile-lorm-glove
Textile pressure sensors located on the palm of the glove enable the deafblind user to “lorm” on
his or her own hand to compose text messages. A Bluetooth® connection transmits the data
from the glove to the user’s handheld device. It is then automatically forwarded to the receiver’s
handheld device in the form of an SMS. If the wearer of the Mobile Lorm Glove receives a text
message, the message will be forwarded via Bluetooth® from his or her handheld device to the
glove. Initiated by small vibration motors located on the back of the glove, tactile feedback
patterns allow the wearer to perceive incoming messages.
200 x 111 x 30 mm
The hand glove is made of stretchy fabric equipped with an input unit (35 fabric pressure
sensors) on the palm of the glove and an output unit (32 shaftless coin vibrating motors) on the
back of the glove. The control unit is integrated in a light case mounted on the forearm.
Although physical presence of conversation partners is an important good for deaf-blind people,
it is often not possible, because the carers can not be present all the time. With the Mobile
Lorm Glove, a “permanent presence” becomes possible. This also means, that carers do not
always have to e.g. drive long distances by car, to meet their “patients”, but can also be “in
touch” over distance.
We found a way to include a strongly marginalized and excluded group like the deaf-blind to be
included into society. On the other hand, this group’s specific way of communication, might also
be an inspiration to other fields: That’s why we are currently investigating on different areas of
operation, where such kind of haptic interaction could be embedded into wearable
technologies. Let‘s think about machine workers in loud environments, or situations where
people either must not or can not speak loud (e.g. stage-hands in a theater).
So the point is:
If we learn to acknowledge the expertise of disabled people, we might not only be able to come
up with good stuff that makes the world a little bit more accessible to all of us,