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| Human Performance in Coordinated Haptic-Visual Virtual Environments |
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Principal Investigators
Bernard D. Adelstein & Stephen R. Ellis
Problem
Computer-modulated haptic displays, by making available force and/or tactile sensory feedback, offer the potential to enhance manipulative interaction capabilities in teleoperated or scaled real environments and in virtual environments (VEs) for activities such as training, rapid design prototyping, and scientific data visualization.
Haptic perception involves the inherent cognitive processes and physiological apparatus (e.g., touch, force and kinesthetic sensors) through which we perceive the mechanical dynamics of our surroundings. However, by comparison with other sensory modalities, haptic perception has received considerably less attention in the scientific literature. Thus, many of the issues key to the design of effective haptic VEs such as hardware performance requirements, VE simulation and modeling techniques, and intersensory trade-offs for multimodal VE presentation have only begun to be explored.
Objectives
The goal of this work is development of guidelines and specifications for effective computer controlled haptic information presentation-both for haptic display in isolation and when combined in a coordinated haptic-visual interface.
Approach
This task has three major components. The first is the design and construction of an innovative force reflecting manual interface capable of very high fidelity haptic interaction and information display. The second component is integration of the haptic display into a thoroughly calibrated, temporally and spatially conformal haptic-visual VE. The third is the study of temporal resolution factors and coordination between sensory modalities in a haptic- visual VE system.
Accomplishments
We have completed the geometric and kinematic analyses for a novel mechanical linkage that is the foundation of the innovative three degree of freedom force-reflecting haptic interface being developed for this task. The linkage components are sized to provide a numerically well- conditioned six inch spherical workspace for the human hand capable of 5lb (22.5N) interaction forces in any direction. (Note that a family of haptic interfaces of different sizes ranging from individual finger up to whole arm devices, can be designed and built based on these linkage kinematics.)
Future Plans
Detailed mechanical design of the haptic interface is currently in progress. A continuing series of perceptual and motor studies using this device is planned following its integration into our laboratory's low latency virtual environment system.
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