SBIR: Exhibiting Intuitive Touch Feedback for Virtual Reality

该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力将在大量应用中看到。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;将STEM（科学技术工程数学）培训的工程课程变为现实;以及在微创手术期间更好地将外科医生与医疗程序联系起来。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，您可以使用开发的触觉设备在3D环境中抓住模型并拉动它以感受紧固件或分子键的强度。虽然这些交互已经可以用像Novint这样的桌面界面来描绘了？我们的技术可以以更低的价格实现这一点，也可以用于大型工作空间应用，如玩视频游戏或在VR中探索家庭客厅。该项目还将有助于理解人类对触觉的感知。该项目涉及的技术领域？人类辅助技术和生物相关机器人？以及消费电子市场。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，沉浸式和廉价触觉技术的需求。随着廉价的三维（3D）头戴式显示器（HMD）的可用性，对虚拟现实（VR）的重新兴趣推动了这种需求。目前的触觉接口要么太昂贵，并具有有限的刚度，要么太粗糙，描绘力/扭矩的相互作用。该公司假设，它可以创建一个不接地的触觉运动控制器，可以模拟力反馈的价格，将是可行的消费者虚拟现实。这项研究将利用游戏控制器接口的手柄内的触觉剪切反馈。控制器内的致动器将向用户施加摩擦力和剪切力？的手，这反过来又将根据虚拟现实物理引擎模拟的相互作用力来驱动。这将创建一个集成的触觉体验，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.