IMA Workshop on Haptics, VR, and HCI Overview

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IMA Workshop on Haptics, VR, and HCIOverview

• John Hollerbach
• School of Computing
• University of Utah

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What Are Haptic Interfaces?
Haptic interfaces refers to interfaces involving
the human hand and to manual sensing and
manipulation. (Durlach et al., 1994)

• A haptic interface is comprised of
• A mechanical position tracker
• Actuated joints
• This is just a robot attached to a human

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Where forces have been applied
Haptic interfaces are robots that apply forces to
the body to display information.

• Traditional haptics arms and hands
• Foot haptics Sarcos Biport
• Whole-body haptics Sarcos Treadport

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Traditional Haptic Interfaces
Body based
Ground based
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Foot Haptics (locomotion interface)
Sarcos Biport
Iwatas GaitMaster
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Whole-Body Haptics
Sarcos Treadport II
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A Thin Line Separates Other Robots that Apply
Forces to Humans

• Programmable exercise machines
• Rehabilitation robots
• Assist devices
• Powered exoskeletons

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Haptic Interfaces in Teleoperation or Virtual
Reality
Avatar
Teleoperation
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Why Haptics and VR?

• The most general HCI will involve haptics, not
  just vision and sound.
• There are a lot more computers to be interfaced
  than telemanipulators.

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A Typical VR System
Haptic Interface
Force rendering
Dynamics
User
Geometry
Visual Interface
Virtual World
Auditory Interface
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Technical Issues

• Simulation
• High-fidelity for objects
• Low-fidelity for haptics

• Devices
• Specification
• Design
• Control

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The Device Angle for VR

• Precise registration to a simulation
• Human factors for device use
• Cost and proliferation
• Novelty factor

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The Simulation AngleReal-Time Requirements

• Visual displays 30-60Hz
• Haptic displays 1kHz, 1msec lag
• High-frequency contact transients
• Control instability

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Haptics for VR is not new!

• Teleoperation predictor displays
• Impelled by cheap, powerful PCs
• Proliferated by haptics companies and innovations
  in research labs

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But What are the Applications?

• Computer games
• Medicine
• Mechanical design
• ???

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Haptics Symposium

• 1-9 held in conjunction with ASME winter annual
  meeting
• 10 to be held in conjunction with IEEE VR, March
  24-25, 2002, in Orlando.