Low cost tactile feedback platform for teleoperation and VR sensing Human Machine Interaction & Low cost technologies Adrien Moucheboeuf - July 8 th, 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 ? ExpectationsReality (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 Driver Module 1 Tactor 1..n Driver Module 2 Driver Module m Tactile Display Desktop computer, laptop, or Embedded computer 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.