Low cost tactile feedback platform for teleoperation and VR sensing

Human Machine Interaction & Low cost technologies

Adrien Moucheboeuf - July 8th, 2015

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Some usability problems…

?

?Detection zone

OK

(( ))

Simulation

or Robot

Advantages:-Immersion in virtual environment-Capture attention & offload the visual modality (e.g error messages, redirect attention to specific target)-Improve operability

Control (gesture or control pad, GUI)

Visual & Audio

Haptic (Force +Tactile)

Touch sensation provided via small vibrations (vibrating units on skin => tactors)

Manipulation tasks, events of the virtual environment

Design guidelines for tactile feedback integration in multimodal systems

How to represent all these events?

Problem: The skin often integrates stimuli Consequence: new percept totally different from the sum of original stimuli

Many possible pitfalls:

- Spatial effects- Temporal effects

Temporal masking

Adaptation…

Combination of the two…

Minimized using different stimulation frequencies, delay between stim., loci..

Example: vest and gloves

?

Expectations Reality

(2)

(1)

Tactile systems…Each lab has its own hardware and software implementation (Disney Research e.g haptic seat…)Off the shelf products:

Often only low level control of tactor

Up to the developer to write the “touch effects” (Glove one)

Too purpose specific

Long development cycle for HMI designer to make tactile feedback

No broad diffusion of the technology

Objective:

Provide a platform for the design of tactile feedback to the maker community and researchers:

Low cost versatile hardware No hardware design required.

Include SDK Intuitive interface - little to no need for programming or knowledge to create tactile stimulations

Fast prototyping and design

Hardware

Driver module (battery, power supply, microcontroller and amplifiers) ($20-$30)

Cheap tactors

Linear resonant actuator LRA ($2-$3 each)

eccentric rotative mass ERM < $1

Extensible: Connectible modules to have as many tactors as needed

Velcro coated vibration units and control module positionable anywhere on the body + different wire lengths

Actuators (small vibration units)on modules

DriverModule 1

Tactor 1..n

DriverModule 2

DriverModule m

Tactile Display

Desktop computer, laptop,

or Embedded computer

Tactor 1..n

Tactor 1..n

Application for the design of tactile stimulations

3D body interface

Easy placing of tactile units on a grid

Drawing of stimulations :points, paths, characteristics (intensity, frequencies)…

Indicates possible conflicts between stimulation patterns

(maybe) Adapt grid based on model of the “user characteristics” with a calibration phase.

Customizable from hobbyist to researchers: tactor model used, tactor activation algorithms, tactor positioning grids..

Developer’s API provide low level control over each module and its actuators

Example: Minimum separation between tactors to feel two stimulation points

SDK

Thank You.