Creating Versatile Vibrotactile Displays

Many consumer devices include vibrotactile technology to enhance the avenues of communication available to the user. Despite high expectations, this technology has not been as widely implemented as anticipated and in many devices tactile output is limited to the provision of simple alerts. The question arises as to whether this relatively narrow domain of application reflects limitations in the technology itself or in the ease with which tactile signals can be developed and implemented in different devices. The focus of the research is on developing the tools and human performance models so that designers can optimize the use of tactile technology in a variety of applications. This involves creating a library of vibrotactile stimuli that can be used to present a variety of tactile effects, and measuring the characteristics of these tactile signals when they are presented in wearable and hand-held devices.

Vibrotactile technology has not been as widely implemented as anticipated and in many devices tactile output is limited to the provision of simple notifications and alerts. As wearable haptic and tactile technologies become more pervasive, it will be critical to understand how the needs of a diverse user community can be met by providing them with the tools to customize haptic and tactile signals. A graphical design tool is being developed that can be used with different actuators to display vibrotactile effects physically and to determine their associated sensory and emotional attributes. User studies are conducted to evaluate the graphical user interface and assess the efficacy of the content presented. As part of this process, users indicate their preferences and associations for the stimuli displayed so that these can be incorporated into the interface. More widespread implementation of tactile communication will require that the technology can support a broader range of users and different user functions.