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Hi, we’re LibreTactile!

We connect researchers, developers, users, and enthusiasts of tactile technology from different fields for the equitable research, development, distribution and support of open-source tactile technologies for human-computer interaction.

The Journey to Libretactile

Breaking Barriers by Codesigning Accessible Tactile Technology

Navigating information is often challenging for visually impaired people.Tactile technologies have great potential to improve human-computer interaction (HCI), but they are still not widely used in assistive or mainstream HCI tools. Currently, there is no simple, affordable, open-source tactile interface with strong community support. Hence, as part of my PhD research, we worked closely with visually impaired individuals to codesign a tactile human-computer interface and decided to make it open-source. Our goal is to help others create tactile interfaces for various uses, including assistive technology, gaming, extended reality (XR), virtual reality (VR), neuro-rehabilitation, and consumer electronics. To support collaboration in developing and sharing this technology, we are launching a community platform called Libretactile to organize these efforts.

The team

Juan Nino PhD candidate - PhD student at Laval University in Quebec

Jocelyne Kiss PhD - Associate Professor of Arts and Technologies

Frédérique Poncet ERG PhD - Institutional Researcher, Lethbridge-Layton-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre (LLMRC)

Walter Wittich PhD FAAO CLVT - Associate Professor, School of Optometry

Geoffreyjen Edwards PhD - Professeur titulaire Faculté de foresterie, géographie et géomatique, Département des sciences géomatiques / Université Laval

Ernesto Morales PhD - Associate professor, Faculté de Médecine, Département de réadaptation / Université Laval

Cher Tieng Ting, Research assistant: MSc student in Vision Science - Low Vision Concentration - Universite de Montreal Canada

Romain Picot, Research assistant: MSc student at Créteil university, OT - France

Collaborators

  • Université Laval

    • Prof. François Routhier | Université Laval-CIRRIS
    • Prof. Claude Vincent | Université Laval-CIRRIS
    • Léonardo Tessler | Research Valorization and Technology Transfer Advisor | Bureau de liaison Université-Milieu (BLUM)
    • Alexandre Sasseville | Research Valorization and Technology Transfer Advisor | Bureau de liaison Université-Milieu (BLUM)

  • Société Inclusive

    • Mr. David Fiset | Intersectoral Collaboration Agent
    • Ms. Aurélia Fleury | Intersectoral Collaboration Agent

  • Axelys

    • Christophe Alarie | Project Manager
    • Théo Fregefond | Analyst
    • Roxane Don | Analyst

  • CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre

    • France Picard | Chef de service de la recherche, de l’innovation et du secteur de l’adaptation de l’information et médias substituts, Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille, Direction des programmes déficiences (DI, TSA, DP et DV)

  • CIUSSS Centre-Ouest

    • Geneviève Chabot | Rehabilitation Assistant Director, Centre de réadaptation Lethbridge-Layton-Mackay (CRLLM), Direction de la réadaptation et des services multidisciplinaires

  • Regroupement des aveugles et amblyopes du Montréal Métropolitain (RAAMM)

    • Pascale Dussault | Executive Director

  • Office des personnes handicapées du Québec (OPHQ)

    • Agathe Richard-Dallaire | Analyste-conseil, Direction de l’évaluation, des analyses et des statistiques

  • Other supporters

    • International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technologies (OBVIA)
    • LIA: International Associated Laboratory "Arts, Society, and Well-being" (UL-UCA-Villa Arson)
    • Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal métropolitain (CRIR)