Tactile feedback to the palm using arbitrarily shaped DEA
2014
Tactile stimulation enhances user experience and efficiency in human machine interaction by providing information
via another sensory channel to the human brain. DEA as tactile interfaces have been in the focus of
research in recent years. Examples are (vibro-) tactile keyboards or Braille displays. These applications of DEA
focus mainly on interfacing with the user’s fingers or fingertips only – demonstrating the high spatial resolution
achievable with DEA. Besides providing a high resolution, the flexibility of DEA also allows designing free form
surfaces equipped with single actuators or actuator matrices which can be fitted to the surface of the human skin.
The actuators can then be used to provide tactile stimuli to different areas of the body, not to the fingertips only.
Utilizing and demonstrating this flexibility we designed a free form DEA pad shaped to fit into the inside of the
human palm. This pad consists of four single actuators which can provide e.g. directional information such as
left, right, up and down. To demonstrate the value of such free form actuators we manufactured a PC-mouse
using 3d printing processes. The actuator pad is mounted on the back of the mouse, resting against the palm
while operating it. Software on the PC allows control of the vibration patterns displayed by the actuators. This
allows helping the user by raising attention to certain directions or by discriminating between different modes
like “pick” or “manipulate”. Results of first tests of the device show an improved user experience while operating
the PC mouse.
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