Virtual reality aided assembly with directional vibro-tactile feedback

ABSTRACT

We introduce different approaches to user interface devices that provide directed tactile feedback to the user's hand. The basic idea is to enhance the user's six degrees of freedom of interaction within virtual or augmented environments by offering an additional three-dimensional tactile feedback as an immediate, directed response from the virtual world. We also describe the prototype systems TactilePointer and TACTool, which utilize vibro-motors, alarm buzzers, and piezo bend elements as actuators in combination with magnetic and optical tracking. The prototypes have been informally tested within collision sensitive virtual environments.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.1 Multimedia Information Systems
          Subjects: Artificial, augmented, and virtual realities

Additional Classification:
  B. Hardware
  B.4 INPUT/OUTPUT AND DATA COMMUNICATIONS
      B.4.2 Input/Output Devices

  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.6 Methodology and Techniques
          Subjects: Interaction techniques

General Terms:
Experimentation, Human Factors

Keywords:
haptics, interaction, vibro-tactile feedback, virtual reality