What is haptic interaction?

"Force display technology works by using mechanical actuators to apply forces to the user. By simulating the physics of the user’s virtual world, we can compute these forces in real-time, and then send them to the actuators so that the user feels them."

Minsky, in Blattner and Dannenberg, 1992.

Why is it going to be important?

• Bill Buxton "hands on = finger on"

• we aren’t exploiting the interface to keep up with computing power

• more 3D and VR environments in games and elsewhere

• demand for richer input and output possibilities

• reduction in fatigue

• increase in productivity and comfort

• decreased learning times

• large reductions in manipulation errors

What sorts of products are being produced?
 

• the Phantom haptic interaction device

• magnetic levitation interaction devices

• exoskeletal devices

• the Pantograph

• the Freedom 7

 

• medicine, for training, surgical simulation

• other risky/specialised areas, e.g. astronauts, mechanics

• education about complex objects, e.g. chemistry

• creative 3D work, e.g. modelling, product design

• interaction for disabled

• interaction in 3D and VR environments
 

References

http://haptic.mech.nwu.edu/

Haptic Community Website, an on-line resource for researchers in haptic interaction

http://haptic.mech.nwu.edu/intro/gallery/

The Image Gallery section of the Haptic Community Website. Very interesting

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/project/msl/www/virtual/virtual_desc.html

WYSIWYF work at Carnegie Mellon. Excellent, clear description with video demos

http://www.sensable.com/

Sensable — leading product designers and developers in haptic hardware, software and applications. Makers of Phantom.

http://www.haptech.com

Another leading haptics manufacturer — interesting and easy to use site

http://www.dgp.toronto.edu/people/BillBuxton/InputSources.html

Bill Buxton’s embyonic directory of every input device known to mankind…