Modulating Interoceptive Signals for Influencing the Conscious Experience.

Interoceptive signals play a key role in genesis of our conscious experience. Modulation of interoceptive signals holds great potential for developing new human-computer interactions by creating dynamic experiences that are able to engage on user’s emotional level. We present design of a wearable system for modulating interoceptive sympathetic signal of heart rate by closed-loop feedback via pneumatic haptic stimulation on carotid baroreceptors. Our preliminary results showcase potency of the system to modulate the sympathetic activity and consequently user’s conscious experience. We discuss the potential of modulating interoceptive signals as a new paradigm towards developing interactions and affective interventions for dynamically reshaping the conscious experience.