SBIR Phase I: Dynamic Component for Haptic Systems

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在为触摸屏设备开发一个动态用户界面，其中透明的物理按钮根据需要从触摸屏中升起，然后在不需要时消失，变得人眼不可见，触摸也无法感知。 按钮是可重新配置的、动态的，并且可以采用不同的形状、大小和阵列，例如QWERTY键盘。 这个第一阶段项目的目标是研究和设计一个基于MEMS的微阀系统，使多阵列，动态按钮布局以及单独可寻址的按钮，以提供一个动态的用户界面。这项研究将推进动态触摸屏技术的科学并证明其方法的可行性。具体来说，研究开始与广泛的数值模拟，探索MEMS价值架构元素的参数敏感性，因为它们涉及到触觉触摸屏的整体价值要求。 了解关键参数后，将制造和测试一组阀门，以提供实验数据来支持数值模型。 在分析实验数据之后，将定义最佳MEMS值的参数，为第二阶段提案提供路径。 鉴于许多手持和便携式设备都采用了触摸屏，该项目的广泛影响/商业潜力将是巨大的。 虽然触摸屏提供了多功能的用户体验，但它们不提供触觉体验，因此设备制造商正在寻求新的解决方案。触觉解决方案（如振动）试图模拟触摸，但都是“反馈”技术，只有在触摸屏幕后才会振动。 相比之下，这种新的辅助技术创建了物理的可寻址按钮，用户可以将手指放在上面并通过按下按钮输入数据。 该技术将吸引多个年龄组，因为它可以用于多个产品领域的不同触摸屏设备，如移动的，游戏，家庭控制和汽车市场。顶级设备制造商对这项技术表示了始终如一的兴趣。 已经进行的研究验证了常识：与平面触摸屏相比，物理按钮降低了打字错误率。 此外，触觉反馈减少了精神和身体的需求。 虽然动态可重构表面将对大众市场设备产生重大影响，但也有机会在生物医学应用中利用这些MEMS阀，并帮助残疾人，特别是视力受损或失明的人，以及那些精细运动技能减弱的人。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to develop a dynamic user interface for touchscreen devices where transparent, physical buttons rise out a touchscreen on demand, then disappear when not required, becoming invisible to the human eye and imperceptible to touch. The buttons are reconfigurable, dynamic, and can take different shapes, sizes, and arrays such as a QWERTY keyboard. The goal of this Phase I project is to investigate and design a MEMS-based microvalve system that enables multi-array, dynamic button layouts as well as individually addressable buttons to provide a dynamic user interface. This research will advance the science of dynamic touchscreen technology and prove out the feasibility of its approach. Specifically, the research begins with extensive numerical simulations to explore the parametric sensitivity of the MEMS-value architectural elements as they relate to the overall value requirements for the haptic touchscreen. With the critical parameters understood, a set of valves will be fabricated and tested to provide experimental data to support the numerical models. Following analysis of the experimental data, parameters of the optimal MEMS values will be defined, providing a path for a Phase-II proposal. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be significant given the adoption of touchscreens into many handheld and portable devices. While touchscreens provide a versatile user experience, they provide no tactile experience, so device manufacturers are seeking new solutions. Haptics solutions (such as vibration) attempt to simulate touch, but all are "feedback" technologies, vibrating only after touching the screen. In contrast, this new, assistive technology creates physical, addressable buttons, where users can rest their fingers on top and input data by pressing the buttons. The technology would appeal to multiple age groups since it can be used in different touchscreen devices across multiple product segments, such as mobile, gaming, home controls and automotive markets. Top device manufacturers have expressed consistent and unwavering interest in this technology. Studies have been conducted that verify common sense: physical buttons decrease typing error rates compared to flat touchscreens. Moreover, tactile feedback reduces both mental and physical demand. While a dynamic, reconfigurable surface will have a significant impact on mass-market devices, there is also an opportunity to leverage these MEMS valves in bio-medical applications and to assist people with disabilities, in particular, the vision impaired or blind, and those with diminished fine-motor skills.