Miniature Haptics: Experiencing Haptic Feedback through Hand-based and Embodied Avatars

We present Miniature Haptics, a new approach to providing realistic haptic experiences by applying miniaturized haptic feedback to hand-based, embodied avatars. By shrinking haptics to a much smaller scale, Miniature Haptics enables the exploration of new haptic experiences that are not practical to create at the full, human-body scale. Using Finger Walking in Place (FWIP) as an example avatar embodiment and control method, we first explored the feasibility of Miniature Haptics then conducted a human factors study to understand how people map their full-body skeletal model to their hands. To understand the user experience of Miniature Haptic, we developed a miniature football haptic display, and results from our user study show that Miniature Haptics significantly improved the realism and enjoyment of the experience and is preferred by users (p < 0.05). In addition, we present two miniature motion platforms supporting the haptic experiences of: 1) rapidly changing ground height for platform jumping games such as Super Mario Bros and 2) changing terrain slope. Overall, Miniature Haptics makes it possible to explore novel haptic experiences that have not been practical before.

[1]  Daniel J. Wigdor,et al.  Snake Charmer: Physically Enabling Virtual Objects , 2016, TEI.

[2]  Eyal Ofek,et al.  Haptic Revolver: Touch, Shear, Texture, and Shape Rendering on a Reconfigurable Virtual Reality Controller , 2018, CHI.

[3]  Masahiko Inami,et al.  SmartTouch: electric skin to touch the untouchable , 2004, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications.

[4]  Kouta Minamizawa,et al.  A Palm-Worn Haptic Display for Bimanual Operations in Virtual Environments , 2008, EuroHaptics.

[5]  Mary C. Whitton,et al.  Passive haptics significantly enhances virtual environments , 2001 .

[6]  Takuji Narumi,et al.  Yubi-Toko: finger walking in snowy scene using pseudo-haptic technique on touchpad , 2015, SIGGRAPH Asia Emerging Technologies.

[7]  Hannes Kaufmann,et al.  VRRobot: Robot actuated props in an infinite virtual environment , 2017, 2017 IEEE Virtual Reality (VR).

[8]  Yoshihiro Okada Real-time character animation using puppet metaphor , 2002, IWEC.

[9]  Geehyuk Lee,et al.  Demonstrating Gamepad with Programmable Haptic Texture Analog Buttons , 2018, UIST.

[10]  Verónica Orvalho,et al.  Mani-Pull-Action: Hand-based Digital Puppetry , 2017, PACMHCI.

[11]  Francis K. H. Quek,et al.  iPhone/iPod Touch as Input Devices for Navigation in Immersive Virtual Environments , 2009, 2009 IEEE Virtual Reality Conference.

[12]  Jonathan D. Cohen,et al.  Rubber hands ‘feel’ touch that eyes see , 1998, Nature.

[13]  Yuta Sugiura,et al.  An operating method for a bipedal walking robot for entertainment , 2009, SIGGRAPH ASIA '09.

[14]  Claudio Pacchierotti,et al.  Towards Wearability in Fingertip Haptics: A 3-DoF Wearable Device for Cutaneous Force Feedback , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Haptics.

[15]  Jörg Krüger,et al.  HapticWalker---a novel haptic foot device , 2005, TAP.

[16]  K.A. Kaczmarek,et al.  Electrotactile haptic display on the fingertips: preliminary results , 1994, Proceedings of 16th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.

[17]  Fay Huang,et al.  Unreal Interactive Puppet Game Development Using Leap Motion , 2018 .

[18]  Arindam Dey,et al.  Let your fingers do the walking: A unified approach for efficient short-, medium-, and long-distance travel in VR , 2016, 2016 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI).

[19]  Piers Andrew,et al.  Electrotactile touch surface by using transparent graphene , 2012, VRIC.

[20]  Maria V. Sanchez-Vives,et al.  Inducing Illusory Ownership of a Virtual Body , 2009, Front. Neurosci..

[21]  Masaki Oshita,et al.  Character motion control interface with hand manipulation inspired by puppet mechanism , 2013, VRCAI '13.

[22]  Francis K. H. Quek,et al.  Finger Walking in Place (FWIP): A Traveling Technique in Virtual Environments , 2008, Smart Graphics.