11-05-2013, 01:25 PM
The Potential of Haptics Technologies
Potential of Haptics.pptx (Size: 133.72 KB / Downloads: 23)
Area of focus :-
The physical properties and movements of virtual objects represented by a computer. Input devices such as the keyboard or the mouse translate human movements into actions on the screen but provide no feedback to the user about those actions. Haptics incorporates both touch and motion elements. For applications that simulate real physical properties such as weight, momentum, friction, texture, or resistance haptics communicates those properties through interfaces that let users “feel” what is happening on the screen.
definition:-
Haptics is a term that was derived from the Greek verb “haptesthai” meaning “of or relating to the sense of touch.”
It refers to the science of manual sensing and manipulation of surrounding objects and environments through the sense of touch.
The “touching” of objects and or environment could be made by humans, machines, or a combination of both.
Human haptics:-
It refers to the study of human sensing and manipulation through tactile and kinesthetic sensations.
When a user touches an object, interaction forces are imposed on the skin. The associated sensory system conveys this information to the brain and thus leads to perception.
As a response, the brain issues motor commands to activate the muscles that results in a hand or arm movement.
Human haptics focuses mainly on studying this human sensor motor loop and all aspects related to the human perception of the sense of touch.
Computer haptics :-
Computer haptics is an emerging area of research that is concerned with developing algorithms and software to generate and render the “touch” of virtual environments and objects, just as computer graphics deal with generating and rendering visual images.
Computer haptics has two main components, haptic rendering and visual rendering, that communicate the virtual environment’s graphics, sound, and force responses to the human user.
Machine haptics :-
Machine haptics involve designing, constructing, and developing mechanical devices that replace or augment human touch.
These devices are put into physical contact with the human body for the purpose of exchanging information with the human nervous system.
Haptic interfaces have two basic functions-
They measure the positions or contact forces of any part of the human body.
They compute the information and display the position or forces in appropriate spatial and temporal coordination to the user.
Theory of operation :-
When a human user manipulates a generic probe of the haptic interface device, the position sensors implanted on the device convey its tip position to the computer.
Every time interval, the computer that controls the device checks for collisions between the end-effector and the virtual objects.
Collision has occurred, haptic rendering system calculates the reaction forces/torques that occurs at the interaction point and commands the actuators attached to the device to move, thus leading to tactual perception of the virtual objects. If no collision is detected, no forces will be computed and applied and the user is free to move the haptic device.
Conclusion :-
In spite of the significant recent progress, the incorporation of haptics into virtual environments is still in its infancy due to limitations in the hardware, the cost of development, as well as the level of reality they provide. The technology is becoming cheaper and applications are becoming more forthcoming and apparent. It will promise to be an amazing revolution in the way we interact with computers and the virtual world.