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

网络使数字空间中的许多社会互动成为可能，包括分享信息、与人会面、参与在线社区。值得注意的是，缺少对触觉（力，触摸）交互的支持。然而，跨在线社交网络的触觉合作可能会彻底改变数字空间中的人类互动。有前景的应用范围从多个专家和新手外科医生之间的虚拟手术训练到物理远程康复和在线多用户电脑游戏。这些领域对于保持加拿大在全球知识型经济中的突出地位至关重要。拟议的研究将通过开发一种分布式触觉控制策略，使用户可以像今天加入/离开Skype会议一样加入/离开互动，从而实现在线社交网络的触觉合作。然而，可扩展的触觉协作面临着巨大的挑战：(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较低；(2)由于参与者登录/退出触觉社交网站，导致合作用户数量发生变化；(3)用户和触觉界面的异构动力学；(4)通信网络中的不确定性延迟和丢包。现有的网络触觉合作控制策略只解决了这些困难的一部分，不能用于支持在线社交网络中的触觉交互。

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.