Fingertip Deflection

A haptic guidance technique in which a wearable device gently pulls or tilts the fingertip in a chosen direction (abduction, adduction, flexion, or extension) to bias arm motion toward a target during reach. Unlike vibrotactile alerts that must be symbolically decoded, fingertip deflection is a continuous, kinesthetic cue inspired by the familiar gesture of a child leading an adult by the finger. When the actuation is applied above the fingerpad (e.g., at the proximal-interphalangeal joint), the cue preserves natural touch and grasp. Demonstrated most prominently in the NURing wearable as eyes-free guidance for blind and vision-impaired users.