Augmenting Graphical User Interfaces with Haptic Assistance for Motion-Impaired Operators

Haptic assistance is an emerging field of research that is designed to improve human-computer interaction (HCI) by reducing error rates and targeting times through the use of force feedback. Haptic feedback has previously been investigated to assist motion-impaired computer users, however, limitations such as target distracters have hampered its integration with graphical user interfaces (GUIs). In this paper two new haptic assistive techniques are presented that utilise the 3DOF capabilities of the Phantom Omni. These are referred to as deformable haptic cones and deformable virtual switches. The assistance is designed specifically to enable motion-impaired operators to use existing GUIs more effectively. Experiment 1 investigates the performance benefits of the new haptic techniques when used in conjunction with the densely populated Windows on-screen keyboard (OSK). Experiment 2 utilises the ISO 9241-9 point-and-click task to investigate the effects of target size and shape. The results of the study prove that the newly proposed techniques improve interaction rates and can be integrated with existing software without many of the drawbacks of traditional haptic assistance. Deformable haptic cones and deformable virtual switches were shown to reduce the mean number of missed-clicks by at least 75% and reduce targeting times by at least 25%

A novel approach to modelling and simulating the contact behaviour between a human hand model and a deformable object

A deeper understanding of biomechanical behaviour of human hands becomes fundamental for any human hand-operated Q2 activities. The integration of biomechanical knowledge of human hands into product design process starts to play an increasingly important role in developing an ergonomic product-to-user interface for products and systems requiring high level of comfortable and responsive interactions. Generation of such precise and dynamic models can provide scientific evaluation tools to support product and system development through simulation. This type of support is urgently required in many applications such as hand skill training for surgical operations, ergonomic study of a product or system developed and so forth. The aim of this work is to study the contact behaviour between the operators’ hand and a hand-held tool or other similar contacts, by developing a novel and precise nonlinear 3D finite element model of the hand and by investigating the contact behaviour through simulation. The contact behaviour is externalised by solving the problem using the bi-potential method. The human body’s biomechanical characteristics, such as hand deformity and structural behaviour, have been fully modelled by implementing anisotropic hyperelastic laws. A case study is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the approac