An evaluation of the virtual curvature with the StickGrip haptic device: a case study

Dynamic simulation of distance to the physical surface could promote the development of new inexpensive tools for blind and visually impaired users. The StickGrip is a haptic device comprised of the Wacom pen input device added with a motorized penholder. The goal of the research presented in this paper was to assess the accuracy and usefulness of the new pen-based interaction technique when the position and displacement of the penholder in relation to the pen tip provided haptic feedback to the user about the distance to the physical or virtual surface of interaction. The aim was to examine how accurately people are able (1) to align the randomly deformed virtual surfaces to the flat surface and (2) to adjust the number of surface samples having a randomly assigned curvature to the template having the given curvature and kept fixed. These questions were approached by measuring both the values of the adjusted parameters and the parameters of the human performance, such as a ratio between inspection time and control time spent by the participants to complete the matching task with the use of the StickGrip device. The test of the pen-based interaction technique was conducted in the absence of visual feedback when the subject could rely on the proprioception and kinesthetic sense. The results are expected to be useful for alternative visualization and interaction with complex topographic and mathematical surfaces, artwork, and modeling.

[1]  Elizabeth T. Wilson,et al.  Mapping Proprioception across a 2D Horizontal Workspace , 2010, PloS one.

[2]  아츠시 나카다이라,et al.  3d pointing method, 3d display control method, 3d pointing device, 3d display control device, 3d pointing program, and 3d display control program , 2005 .

[3]  Astrid M L Kappers,et al.  Haptic Curvature Comparison of Convex and Concave Shapes , 2008, Perception.

[4]  Astrid M L Kappers,et al.  Haptic Unilateral and Bilateral Discrimination of Curved Surfaces , 1996, Perception.

[5]  Vincent Hayward,et al.  Force can overcome object geometry in the perception of shape through active touch , 2001, Nature.

[6]  Mark R. Cutkosky,et al.  Contact Location Display for Haptic Perception of Curvature and Object Motion , 2005, Int. J. Robotics Res..

[7]  Jun-Young Lee,et al.  wUbi-Pen: windows graphical user interface interacting with haptic feedback stylus , 2008, SIGGRAPH '08.

[8]  Giuseppe Monno,et al.  The SenStylus: A Novel Rumble-Feedback Pen Device for CAD Application in Virtual Reality , 2005, WSCG.

[9]  Junseok Park,et al.  Ubi-Pen: Development of a Compact Tactile Display Module and Its Application to a Haptic Stylus , 2007, Second Joint EuroHaptics Conference and Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems (WHC'07).

[10]  Astrid M L Kappers,et al.  Curvature affects haptic length perception. , 2008, Acta psychologica.

[11]  Astrid M. L. Kappers,et al.  Using curvature information in haptic shape perception of 3D objects , 2008, Experimental Brain Research.

[12]  Fredrik Huitfeldt Madsen.  Proceedings of IADIS International Conference on Interfaces and Human Computer Interaction 2007 , 2007 .

[13]  Thomas R. Tretter,et al.  A comparison of learning with haptic and visual modalities. , 2005 .

[14]  Daphna Weinshall.  Shortcuts in shape classification from two images , 1992, CVGIP Image Underst..

[15]  J J Koenderink,et al.  Haptic Aftereffect of Curved Surfaces , 1996, Perception.

[16]  J. F. Soechting,et al.  Bias and sensitivity in the haptic perception of geometry , 2003, Experimental Brain Research.

[17]  Lorna M. Brown,et al.  Tactons: Structured Tactile Messages for Non-Visual Information Display , 2004, AUIC.

[18]  M. Ernst,et al.  Integration of force and position cues for shape perception through active touch , 2006, Brain Research.

[19]  Masahiko Inami,et al.  SmartTouch - augmentation of skin sensation with electrocutaneous display , 2003, 11th Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems, 2003. HAPTICS 2003. Proceedings..

[20]  J. Loomis,et al.  Visual space perception and visually directed action. , 1992, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[21]  Hideko F. Norman,et al.  The perception of length on curved and flat surfaces , 2000, Perception & psychophysics.

[22]  P W Davidson,et al.  Haptic judgments of curvature by blind and sighted humans. , 1972, Journal of experimental psychology.

[23]  Ingvars Birznieks,et al.  Influence of object shape on responses of human tactile afferents under conditions characteristic of manipulation , 2003, The European journal of neuroscience.

[24]  N. Sribunruangrit,et al.  Speed-accuracy tradeoff during performance of a tracking task without visual feedback , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[25]  Paul L. Gribble,et al.  Correction: Mapping Proprioception across a 2D Horizontal Workspace , 2010, PLoS ONE.

[26]  J J Koenderink,et al.  The Influence of Stimulus Tilt on Haptic Curvature Matching and Discrimination by Dynamic Touch , 1998, Perception.

[27]  Robert J. Teather,et al.  Guidelines for 3D positioning techniques , 2007, Future Play.

[28]  J J Koenderink,et al.  Haptic curvature discrimination at several regions of the hand , 1997, Perception & psychophysics.

[29]  Yann Coello,et al.  Spatial context and visual perception for action , 2005 .

[30]  J J Koenderink,et al.  Active haptic detection and discrimination of shape , 2002, Perception & psychophysics.

[31]  Marcos Hilsenrat,et al.  Hapto-visual Virtual Reality as a Tool in Psychophysical Research on Roughness Sensitivity , 2010, 2010 Third International Conference on Advances in Computer-Human Interactions.

[32]  Vincent Hayward,et al.  Local Surface Orientation Dominates Haptic Curvature Discrimination , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Haptics.

[33]  J J Koenderink,et al.  Haptic after-effect of successively touched curved surfaces. , 2001, Acta psychologica.

[34]  Jan J. Koenderink,et al.  Similar mechanisms underlie curvature comparison by static and dynamic touch , 1999, Perception & psychophysics.

[35]  Robert B. Fisher,et al.  Decomposition of range images using Markov random fields , 2004, 2004 International Conference on Image Processing, 2004. ICIP '04..

[36]  Kouta Minamizawa,et al.  Pen de Touch , 2009, SIGGRAPH Posters.

[37]  Lindsay Kleeman,et al.  Robust Range Data Segmentation using Geometric Primitives for Robotic Applications , 2003, SIP.

[38]  Vincent Hayward,et al.  Virtual Surfaces and Haptic Shape Perception , 2000, Dynamic Systems and Control: Volume 2.

[39]  Hong Z. Tan,et al.  Discrimination and identification of finger joint-angle position using active motion , 2007, TAP.

[40]  Masahiko Inami,et al.  ImpAct: Immersive haptic stylus to enable direct touch and manipulation for surface computing , 2010, CIE.

[41]  Vincent Hayward,et al.  Trajectory of contact region on the fingerpad gives the illusion of haptic shape , 2005, Experimental Brain Research.

[42]  Vincent Hayward,et al.  Display of virtual braille dots by lateral skin deformation: feasibility study , 2005, TAP.

[43]  Jun-Young Lee,et al.  Ubi-Pen: A Haptic Interface with Texture and Vibrotactile Display , 2009, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications.

[44]  Astrid M. L. Kappers,et al.  Transfer of the curvature aftereffect in dynamic touch , 2008, Neuropsychologia.

[45]  Ehud Sharlin,et al.  The 3D Tractus: a three-dimensional drawing board , 2006, First IEEE International Workshop on Horizontal Interactive Human-Computer Systems (TABLETOP '06).

[46]  V. Gallese,et al.  The bodily self as power for action , 2010, Neuropsychologia.

[47]  Astrid M. L. Kappers,et al.  Curvature discrimination in various finger conditions , 2007, Experimental Brain Research.

[48]  Astrid M L Kappers,et al.  Haptic Discrimination of Doubly Curved Surfaces , 1994, Perception.

[49]  Darren Leigh,et al.  Haptic pen: a tactile feedback stylus for touch screens , 2004, UIST '04.

[50]  Gonzalo Ramos,et al.  Pressure-sensitive Pen Interactions , 2008 .

[51]  Myrthe A. Plaisier,et al.  Salient features in 3-D haptic shape perception , 2009, Attention, perception & psychophysics.

[52]  Dieter Schmalstieg,et al.  Tactylus, a pen-input device exploring audiotactile sensory binding , 2006, VRST '06.