Feeling Fireworks: An Inclusive Tactile Firework Display

Fireworks are enjoyed throughout the world, but are primarily a visual experience. To make fireworks more inclusive for Blind and Low-Vision (BLV) persons, we have developed a large-scale interactive tactile display that produces tactile fireworks. Fast dynamic tactile effects are created at high spatial resolution, using directable nozzles that spray water jets onto the rear of a flexible screen. The screen furthermore has back-projected visual content and touch interaction. A BLV focus group provided input during the development process, and a user study with BLV users showed that Feeling Fireworks is an enjoyable and meaningful experience. Quotes from blind users include "First time to get the feeling of what's happening in the sky. Fountain - awesome, first time had a feeling of that is what is a fountain.", "My mom always told me about fireworks but now I understand it." and "Now I know why people like fireworks." Beyond the Feeling Firework application, this is a novel approach for scalable tactile displays with potential for broader use.