Assessing Tactile-Evoked Emotion in Accessible Tactile Interfaces: A Dual-Channel Framework Across Visual Ability Groups

Tactile interaction is critical for visually impaired users, yet reproducible frameworks linking physiological signals with subjective tactile emotion remain limited. We proposes a dual-channel framework for tactile emotion assessment integrating physiological and subjective measures. Twenty-seven 3D-printed tactile stimulation materials were created by manipulating shape, texture, and spacing. Ninety participants (30 blind and visually impaired [BVI], 30 sighted-blindfolded [SBF], and 30 normally sighted [NS]) completed tactile exploration tasks while ECG and sujective responses were recorded. Polynomial-kernelSVM classification showed highest performance in BVI participants (F1 = 0.88), followed by SBF (0.825) and NS (0.788), with the combined model reaching F1 = 0.874. Subjective analyses showed phase and group dependent affective changes, and LMMs identified shape, material, spacing interactions across five tactile dimensions. The findings support inclusive tactile interface design and clarify limits of blindfolded proxy samples.