IMA Workshop on Haptics, VR, and HCI Overview John Hollerbach School of Computing University of Utah

What Are Haptic Interfaces? “ Haptic interfaces refers to interfaces involving the human hand and to manual sensing and manipulation.” (Durlach et al., 1994) A haptic interface is comprised of –A mechanical position tracker –Actuated joints This is just a robot attached to a human

Where forces have been applied: Traditional haptics: arms and hands Foot haptics: Sarcos Biport Whole-body haptics: Sarcos Treadport Haptic interfaces are robots that apply forces to the body to display information.

Traditional Haptic Interfaces Ground based Body based

Foot Haptics (locomotion interface) Sarcos BiportIwata’s GaitMaster

Whole-Body Haptics Sarcos Treadport II

A Thin Line Separates Other Robots that Apply Forces to Humans Programmable exercise machines Rehabilitation robots Assist devices Powered exoskeletons

Haptic Interfaces in Teleoperation or Virtual Reality Teleoperation Avatar

Why Haptics and VR? The most general HCI will involve haptics, not just vision and sound. There are a lot more computers to be interfaced than telemanipulators.

A Typical VR System Haptic Interface User Visual Interface Arm Model World Model Geometry Dynamics Force rendering Auditory Interface

Technical Issues Devices Specification Design Control Simulation High-fidelity for objects Low-fidelity for haptics Transparency Stability

The Device Angle for VR Precise registration to a simulation Human factors for device use Cost and proliferation Novelty factor

The Simulation Angle: Real-Time Requirements Visual displays: 30-60Hz Haptic displays: 1kHz, 1msec lag –High-frequency contact transients –Control instability

Haptics for VR is not new! Teleoperation predictor displays Impelled by cheap, powerful PCs Proliferated by haptics companies and innovations in research labs

But What are the Applications? Computer games Medicine Mechanical design ???

Haptics Symposium #1-9 held in conjunction with ASME winter annual meeting #10 to be held in conjunction with IEEE VR, March 24-25, 2002, in Orlando.