The INCA 6D: a Commercial Stringed Haptic System Suitable for Industrial Applications

ABSTRACT This paper describes the development of the stringed haptic device INCA6D developed by HAPTION after the concept of Spidar. The author points out the difficulties encountered in the process, and the technical solutions chosen by the designers. Several implementations are then presented, including the deployment inside a CAVE™-like system. Categories and Subject Descriptors (according to ACM CCS): H.5.2 [User Interfaces]: Haptic I/O 1. Introduction In 2003, INRIA and TITECH developed the concept of Stringed Haptic Workbench [TCH*03]. It combined a two-screen immersive display with a SPIDAR stringed haptic device [HS92]. It was successfully used for different ap-plications, one of which was Virtual Prototyping for the in-dustry (assembly/disassembly simulation).In the following years, the French automotive industry ex-pressed their interest in the Stringed Haptic Workbench, and assessed the existing system at INRIA Grenoble. However, the system was not in a state that made it suitable for everyday use in the industry. As a consequence, they approached HAPTION with the need of a commercial product.In 2006, HAPTION started the development of commercial version of the Stringed Haptic Workbench, in co-operation with the initial designers of INRIA and TITECH. The res-ult of that work was the stringed haptic device called IN-CA6D.