Haptic technology

About: Haptic technology is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 18818 publications have been published within this topic receiving 306713 citations. The topic is also known as: haptics & haptic media.

What you can see is what you can feel-development of a visual/haptic interface to virtual environment

Abstract: We propose a new concept of visual/haptic interfaces called WYSIWYF display The proposed concept provides correct visual/haptic registration using a vision based object tracking technique and a video keying technique so that what the user can see via a visual interface is consistent with what he/she can feel through a haptic interface Using Chroma Keying, a live video image of the user's hand is extracted and blended with the graphic scene of the virtual environment The user's hand "encounters" the haptic device exactly when his/her hand touches a virtual object in the blended scene The first prototype has been built and the proposed concept was demonstrated

Transatlantic touch: a study of haptic collaboration over long distance

Abstract: The extent to which the addition of haptic communication between human users in a stared virtual environment (SVE) contributes to the shared experience of the users has not received much attention in the literature, In this paper we describe a demonstration of and an expenmental study on haptic interaction between two users over a network of significant physical distance and a number of Network hops. A number of techniques to mitigate instability of the haptic interactions induced by network latency are presented An experiment to evaluate the use of haptics in a coilborative situation mediated by a networked virtual environment is examined The experimental subjects were to cooperate in lifting a virtual box together under one of four conditions in a between-groups design. Questionnaires were used to report the ease with which they could perform the task and the subjective levels of presence ants copresence experienced This extends earlier work by the authors to consider the possibility of haptic collaboration under real network conditions with a Number of improvements. Using the technology described in-this paper, transatlantic touch was successfully demonstrated between the Touch lab at Massachusetts Instatute of Technology, USA and Virtual Environments and Computer Graphics (VECG) lab at University Collegc London (UCL), UK in 2000, It as also presented at the Internet II demonstration meeting in 2002 between University of Southern California and the Massachusetts Instrtute of Technology.

Influence of control/display ratio on the perception of mass of manipulated objects in virtual environments

Abstract: This paper describes two psychophysical experiments which were conducted to evaluate the influence of the control/display (C/D) ratio on the perception of mass of manipulated objects in virtual environments (VE). In both experiments, a discrimination task was used in which participants were asked to identify the heavier object between two virtual balls. Participants could weigh each ball via a haptic interface and look at its synthetic display on a computer screen. Unknown to the participants, two parameters varied between each trial: the difference of mass between the balls and the C/D ratio used in the visual display when weighing the comparison ball. The data collected demonstrated that the C/D ratio significantly influenced the result of the mass discrimination task and sometimes even reversed it. The absence of gravity force largely increased this effect. These results suggest that if the visual motion of a manipulated virtual object is amplified when compared to the actual motion of the user's hand (i.e. if the C/D ratio used is smaller than 1), the user tends to feel that the mass of the object decreases. Thus, decreasing or amplifying the motions of the user in a VE can strongly modify the perception of haptic properties of objects that he/she manipulates. Designers of virtual environments could use these results for simplification considerations and also to avoid potential perceptual aberrations.

Virtual lesson and its application to virtual calligraphy system

Abstract: The concept of a virtual lesson is proposed for transferring a teacher's skill to a student using haptic virtual reality technology. We have developed a virtual calligraphy system as one of its applications. In this system, the position and force trajectories of the teacher's writing brush is recorded first and then these trajectories are displayed to the student. What the student can learn is the teacher's horizontal brush position trajectory, his normal pushing force against a virtual paper, and the distance between the teacher's brush and the virtual paper. Recognizing that it is impossible to display both the normal force information and the normal position information at the same time, we have implemented two methods of skill display: one is to use the haptic display device for displaying the position information, and the other is to use it for displaying the force information. The remaining information is displayed using a secondary display device, visual display in the developed system. A preliminary experimental result is also presented.

Virtual reality cerebral aneurysm clipping simulation with real-time haptic feedback

Abstract: Background With the decrease in the number of cerebral aneurysms treated surgically and the increase of complexity of those treated surgically, there is a need for simulation-based tools to teach future neurosurgeons the operative techniques of aneurysm clipping. Objective To develop and evaluate the usefulness of a new haptic-based virtual reality simulator in the training of neurosurgical residents. Methods A real-time sensory haptic feedback virtual reality aneurysm clipping simulator was developed using the ImmersiveTouch platform. A prototype middle cerebral artery aneurysm simulation was created from a computed tomographic angiogram. Aneurysm and vessel volume deformation and haptic feedback are provided in a 3-dimensional immersive virtual reality environment. Intraoperative aneurysm rupture was also simulated. Seventeen neurosurgery residents from 3 residency programs tested the simulator and provided feedback on its usefulness and resemblance to real aneurysm clipping surgery. Results Residents thought that the simulation would be useful in preparing for real-life surgery. About two-thirds of the residents thought that the 3-dimensional immersive anatomic details provided a close resemblance to real operative anatomy and accurate guidance for deciding surgical approaches. They thought the simulation was useful for preoperative surgical rehearsal and neurosurgical training. A third of the residents thought that the technology in its current form provided realistic haptic feedback for aneurysm surgery. Conclusion Neurosurgical residents thought that the novel immersive VR simulator is helpful in their training, especially because they do not get a chance to perform aneurysm clippings until late in their residency programs.