TG2 : ungrounded weight feedback in virtual reality using pendular mechanical actuation

In this work, we introduce a new type of handheld haptic device capable of rendering forces by shifting a mass element on a hemisphere around the hand. The technique ex ploits gravity to recreate torque at the wrist, which generates the illusion of weight. With virtual reality becoming more popular, new ideas to increase the immersion in these en vironments start appearing. Devices capable of haptic feedback are being developed with different approaches to the same problem, generating force in the real world that increases immersion in a virtual world. Instead of using the traditional approach of a grounded me chanical actuated device, we used a lightweight 3D printed handheld device that utilizes an inverted pendulum driven by mechanical actuators to convey perception of different weights in VR as the user grabs virtual objects. To evaluate the quality of the stimulus provided, we designed a psycho-physical study composed of two tasks that consist of the user interacting with objects in a virtual environment. The first one was ordering a set of four cubes by weight, from lightest to heaviest. The second task was matching the weight of two bars with different densities by controlling their length and radius. We found that the stimulus allows to discriminate different weights that the response time is shorter as the weight difference between objects increases. We also found statistically significant differences in precision and response time between a pair of lightweight objects and a pair of heavyweight ones. Qualitatively, the users identify the stimulus as weight in most cases

Scenario-Based Strategic Planning for Future Civil Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) Transport

Rapid evolvement of the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) technology in conjunction with recent robust R&D has demonstrated the technical feasibility of the civil VTOL system as a short-haul mass transit mode. Its combined benefits of a helicopter and a turboprop into one aircraft is expected to become an effective remedy for congested air traffic and difficulties with airport expansions in the metropolitan areas along with the potential benefit to improve accessibility to population centers and remote areas where conventional aircraft cannot access. In this study, based on a the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal (PESTEL) factors and Technology Readiness Level (TRL) analysis, a scenario-based strategic plan for the civil VTOL transport mode was proposed on a 20-year timeframe and three key strategic factors were identified: 1) sustainable VTOL technology as an enabler, 2) VTOL infrastructure and procedure as an operation platform, and 3) integration of the VTOL technology into the existing air transportation system as a differentiator. While many socio-economic and regulatory gaps were found from this study to integrate civil VTOL aircraft into the current commercial aviation system, the integrative mode of the civil VTOL transport exhibits potentials to tackle the current challenges of the aviation industry to enhance air-mobility between the intra- and inter-city transport and provide passengers with significant benefits to reduce transportation costs and travel time

Gyroscope induced force feedback for ball impact simulation in exergames.

A haptic feedback device for simulating batting sport haptics was designed using the resultant gyroscopic effect from rapidly reorienting spinning flywheels and integrated into a custom cricket themed virtual reality exergame. The device was capable of producing impact vibrations and a 0.1 N m torque. A within-subjects user study conducted on 16 participants, and player presence was evaluated using the Presence Questionnaire. The results of the user study were statistically insignificant due to a small sample size (p=0.153), and we were unable to reject the null hypothesis, but visual data analysis was used to identify trends that supported our hypothesis that increase haptic feedback fidelity increases presence in virtual reality batting sports exergames. Due to the statistical insignificance of these results, further research should be conducted to confirm these findings

Advancing proxy-based haptic feedback in virtual reality

This thesis advances haptic feedback for Virtual Reality (VR). Our work is guided by Sutherland's 1965 vision of the ultimate display, which calls for VR systems to control the existence of matter. To push towards this vision, we build upon proxy-based haptic feedback, a technique characterized by the use of passive tangible props. The goal of this thesis is to tackle the central drawback of this approach, namely, its inflexibility, which yet hinders it to fulfill the vision of the ultimate display. Guided by four research questions, we first showcase the applicability of proxy-based VR haptics by employing the technique for data exploration. We then extend the VR system's control over users' haptic impressions in three steps. First, we contribute the class of Dynamic Passive Haptic Feedback (DPHF) alongside two novel concepts for conveying kinesthetic properties, like virtual weight and shape, through weight-shifting and drag-changing proxies. Conceptually orthogonal to this, we study how visual-haptic illusions can be leveraged to unnoticeably redirect the user's hand when reaching towards props. Here, we contribute a novel perception-inspired algorithm for Body Warping-based Hand Redirection (HR), an open-source framework for HR, and psychophysical insights. The thesis concludes by proving that the combination of DPHF and HR can outperform the individual techniques in terms of the achievable flexibility of the proxy-based haptic feedback.Diese Arbeit widmet sich haptischem Feedback für Virtual Reality (VR) und ist inspiriert von Sutherlands Vision des ultimativen Displays, welche VR-Systemen die Fähigkeit zuschreibt, Materie kontrollieren zu können. Um dieser Vision näher zu kommen, baut die Arbeit auf dem Konzept proxy-basierter Haptik auf, bei der haptische Eindrücke durch anfassbare Requisiten vermittelt werden. Ziel ist es, diesem Ansatz die für die Realisierung eines ultimativen Displays nötige Flexibilität zu verleihen. Dazu bearbeiten wir vier Forschungsfragen und zeigen zunächst die Anwendbarkeit proxy-basierter Haptik durch den Einsatz der Technik zur Datenexploration. Anschließend untersuchen wir in drei Schritten, wie VR-Systeme mehr Kontrolle über haptische Eindrücke von Nutzern erhalten können. Hierzu stellen wir Dynamic Passive Haptic Feedback (DPHF) vor, sowie zwei Verfahren, die kinästhetische Eindrücke wie virtuelles Gewicht und Form durch Gewichtsverlagerung und Veränderung des Luftwiderstandes von Requisiten vermitteln. Zusätzlich untersuchen wir, wie visuell-haptische Illusionen die Hand des Nutzers beim Greifen nach Requisiten unbemerkt umlenken können. Dabei stellen wir einen neuen Algorithmus zur Body Warping-based Hand Redirection (HR), ein Open-Source-Framework, sowie psychophysische Erkenntnisse vor. Abschließend zeigen wir, dass die Kombination von DPHF und HR proxy-basierte Haptik noch flexibler machen kann, als es die einzelnen Techniken alleine können

A Systematic Review of Weight Perception in Virtual Reality: Techniques, Challenges, and Road Ahead

Weight is perceived through the combination of multiple sensory systems, and a wide range of factors – including touch, visual, and force senses – can influence the perception of heaviness. There have been remarkable advancements in the development of haptic interfaces throughout the years. However, a number of challenges limit the progression to enable humans to sense the weight in virtual reality (VR). This article presents an overview of the factors that influence how weight is perceived and the phenomenon that contributes to various types of weight illusions. A systematic review has been undertaken to assess the development of weight perception in VR, underlying haptic technology that renders the mass of a virtual object, and the creation of weight perception through pseudo-haptic. We summarize the approaches from the perspective of haptic and pseudo-haptic cues that exhibit the sense of weight such as force, skin deformation, vibration, inertia, control–display ratio, velocity, body gestures, and audio–visual representation. The design challenges are underlined, and research gaps are discussed, including accuracy and precision, weight discrimination, heavyweight rendering, and absolute weight simulation. This article is anticipated to aid in the development of more realistic weight perception in VR and stimulated new research interest in this topic

Expanding the User Interactions and Design Process of Haptic Experiences in Virtual Reality

Virtual reality can be a highly immersive experience due to its realistic visual presentation. This immersive state is useful for applications including education, training, and entertainment. To enhance the state of immersion provided by virtual reality further, devices capable of simulating touch and force have been researched to allow not only a visual and audio experience but a haptic experience as well. Such research has investigated many approaches to generating haptics for virtual reality but often does not explore how to create an immersive haptic experience using them. In this thesis, we present a discussion on four proposed areas of the virtual reality haptic experience design process using a demonstration methodology. To investigate the application of haptic devices, we designed a modular ungrounded haptic system which was used to create a general-purpose device capable of force-based feedback and used it in the three topics of exploration. The first area explored is the application of existing haptic theory for aircraft control to the field of virtual reality drone control. The second area explored is the presence of the size-weight sensory illusion within virtual reality when using a simulated haptic force. The third area explored is how authoring within a virtual reality medium can be used by a designer to create VR haptic experiences. From these explorations, we begin a higher-level discussion of the broader process of creating a virtual reality haptic experience. Using the results of each project as a representation of our proposed design steps, we discuss not only the broader concepts the steps contribute to the process and their importance, but also draw connections between them. By doing this, we present a more holistic approach to the large-scale design of virtual reality haptic experiences and the benefits we believe it provides