SBIR: Exhibiting Intuitive Touch Feedback for Virtual Reality

该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将在广泛的应用中体现出来。这些应用包括虚拟现实和视频游戏，以及与计算机辅助设计(CAD)或医学模型的物理交互；创建交互式化学模型；体验物理模拟；使STEM(科学技术工程数学)培训的工程课程栩栩如生；以及在微创手术期间更好地将外科医生与医疗程序连接起来。想象一下，如果不是用电脑鼠标与CAD或分子模型交互，而是足够便宜，你可以使用开发的触觉设备在3D环境中抓住模型，并拉上它，感受紧固件或分子键的强度。虽然这些互动已经可以用Novint？S猎鹰力反馈设备这样的桌面界面来描绘，但我们的技术可以以低得多的价格做到这一点，还可以用于大型工作空间应用，如玩视频游戏或在家庭客厅探索VR。该项目还将有助于理解人类对触摸的感知。本项目涉及人体辅助技术和生物相关机器人技术领域。以及消费电子细分市场。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在满足市场对直观、身临其境和廉价的触觉技术的需求。随着廉价的三维(3D)头盔显示器(HMD)的出现，人们对虚拟现实(VR)的兴趣重新燃起，这一需求得到了推动。目前的触觉接口要么过于昂贵，工作空间有限，要么过于粗糙，无法描述力/力矩的相互作用。该公司假设，它可以创造出一种不接地的触觉运动控制器，能够以消费者虚拟现实可行的价格模拟力反馈。这项研究将利用游戏控制器界面的手柄内的触觉剪切反馈。控制器内的致动器将对用户S的手施加摩擦力和剪切力，进而基于来自VR物理引擎的模拟相互作用力来驱动手。这将创造一种集成的触觉体验，将用户连接到虚拟环境。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be seen across a broad number of applications. These applications include virtual reality and video games, as well as, physically interacting with computer-aided design (CAD) or medical models; creating interactive chemistry models; experiencing physics simulations; bringing engineering curriculum for STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) training to life; and better connecting a surgeon to a medical procedure during minimally invasive surgery. Imagine if instead of interacting with a CAD or molecular model with a computer mouse, it was inexpensive enough that you could use the developed haptic device to grab the model within a 3D environment and pull on it to feel the strength of fasteners or molecular bonds. While these interactions can already be portrayed with desktop interfaces like Novint?s Falcon force feedback device, our technology could do this at a much lower price point and could also be used in large workspace applications like playing video games or exploring in VR a home living room. This project will also contribute to the understanding of the human perception of touch. This project relates to the technology area of ?Human Assistive Technologies and Bio-related Robotics? and the consumer electronics market segment. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to meet the market demand for intuitive, immersive, and inexpensive haptic technologies. This demand has been fueled by the renewed interest in virtual reality (VR) with the availability of inexpensive 3-dimentional (3D) head-mounted displays (HMDs). Current haptic interfaces are either too expensive and have limited workspaces or are too crude to portray force/torque interactions. The company hypothesizes that it can create an ungrounded haptic motion controller that can emulate force feedback at a price that will be viable for consumer virtual reality. This research will utilize tactile shear feedback within the handle of a game controller interface. Actuators within the controller will apply friction and shear forces to the user?s hand, which will in turn be driven based on simulated interaction forces from a VR physics engine. This will create an integrated haptic experience that will connect the user to the virtual environment.