We discuss methods to enable haptic visualization on vibrotactile arrays. Our work is motivated by the potential for a tactile array to provide an additional useful channel for information such as location cues related to dataset features or remote user behaviors. We present a framework for array rendering and several specific techniques. Novel aspects of our work include the example application of a palm-sized tactile array to visualize dataset features or remote user state in a VR system, a generalized haptic glyph mechanism for 2D tactile arrays, and the extension of graphical visualization techniques to haptics (glyphs, fisheye distortion, spatial anti-aliasing, gamma correction).
We present a new framework for information cue rendering on 2D vibrotactile arrays, and we describe an experiment that investigated the feasibility of our approach. The methods are broadly applicable, but our work is motivated by the potential for a tactile array to provide an additional useful channel for information such as location cues related to dataset features or remote user behaviors in visualization systems. Our experiment measured the accuracy with which three basic haptic glyph parameters (position, direction, and an intensity profile) communicated information to users. Results show that multiple parameters can be communicated simultaneously by a glyph, although with reduced accuracy in some cases. In these cases, we give insight into relevant effects to guide the design of improved glyphs. Besides these results, novel contributions of our work are the general information cue approach for 2D arrays (2D haptic glyphs) and the extension of graphical visualization techniques to haptics (glyphs, spatial anti-aliasing, gamma correction). INTRODUCTIONWe present methods for information cue rendering on 2D vibrotactile arrays. To date, most methods have been ad-hoc, with minimal generality. In contrast, the haptic glyph method presented here, combined with our previous rendering work [1], provides a framework that is applicable to a range of 2D array configurations and encompasses and generalizes many of the cues that have been rendered on 2D arrays in past research. Futhermore, it extends previous approaches by considering information cues that encode multiple channels of (potentially) continually-changing information. As an example, we discuss the use of a low-cost palm-sized vibrotactile array to provide information about location and behavior of remote users in a collaborative VR system, i.e., a tactile version of a heads-up map. We briefly introduced the 2D haptic glyph concept in [2], but extend it in this paper and present the first experimental results. The new experiment investigated the feasibility of haptic glyphs by measuring the accuracy with which three parameters could be communicated. Results are promising, especially considering the limitations of the low-cost experiment apparatus and the use of novice subjects. More importantly, results provide specific insight into possible problems and corresponding remedies. MOTIVATION: EXAMPLE APPLICATIONThe use of low-cost vibrotactile elements (tactors) is increasingly common in haptics research and applications. Small vibrating DC motors and Piezo speakers have been used to construct haptic displays with low power requirements, low cost, low weight, portability, and simple implementation. Commonly-explored configurations include elements placed in clothing or used to build arrays on the backs of seats to communicate shape, orientation, direction, or attention cues for both real and virtual environments, e.g., [3][4][5][6]. Experimental studies have verified that such cues can be communicated. Figure 1 shows a 2D vibrotactile array prototype used to tes...
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