Scalable Distributed Networked Haptic Cooperation: Haptic Interaction across Online Social Networks

网络使数字空间中的许多社交互动成为可能，包括分享信息，与人会面，参与在线社区。值得注意的是缺乏对触觉（力，触摸）交互的支持。然而，在线社交网络上的触觉合作可能会完全改变数字空间中的人类互动。有前途的应用范围从多个专家和新手外科医生之间的虚拟手术培训，物理远程康复和在线多用户计算机游戏。这些都是对保持加拿大在全球知识经济中的突出地位至关重要的领域。拟议的研究将使触觉合作在网上社交网络，通过开发一个分布式触觉控制策略，允许用户加入/离开的互动，就像他们加入/离开Skype会议今天。然而，可扩展的触觉协作提出了巨大的挑战：（1）由于通信网络的吞吐量有限，用户之间的触觉数据传输速率低;（2）由于参与者登录/退出触觉社交网络站点，协作用户的数量不断变化;（3）用户和触觉接口的异构动态;（4）通信网络上的非确定性延迟和分组丢失。现有的网络触觉合作控制策略解决这些困难，只有部分，不能用于支持触觉交互在线社交网络。

The web enables numerous social interactions in digital space, including sharing information, meeting people, participating in online communities. Notably absent is support for haptic (force, touch) interactions. Yet, haptic cooperation across online social networks may completely transform human interactions in digital space. Promising applications range from virtual surgical training among multiple expert and novice surgeons to physical tele-rehabilitation and to online multiuser computer games. These are all areas of critical importance for maintaining Canada's prominence in the global knowledge-based economy. The proposed research will enable haptic cooperation across online social networks, by developing a distributed haptic control strategy that allows users to join/leave the interaction like they join/leave a Skype meeting today. However, scalable haptic cooperation presents tremendous challenges: (1) a low rate of haptic data transmission among users due to the limited throughput of the communication network; (2) a changing number of cooperating users due to participants logging in/out of the haptic social network site; (3) heterogeneous dynamics of the users and of the haptic interfaces; (4) non-deterministic delays and packet losses across the communication network. Existing networked haptic cooperation control strategies address these difficulties only in part and cannot be used to support haptic interaction across online social networks.