17-03-2014, 08:02 PM
ABSTRACT
This paper reports our preliminary investigation of substituting
haptic information in object manipulation with sound. A haptic
sensation is considered to provide information such as the area of
contact on the hand, the intensity of pressure, and the geometric
features of the object in the contact area. In our investigation, this
information was mapped to the pitch, timbre, volume level, and
fluctuations in the pitch. The performance in object recognition
and manipulation was evaluated, which showed that the
representation of sound facilitated the performance of these tasks
in non-visual conditions.
Keywords: Object Manipulation, Auditory Feedback
Index Terms: H.5.1 [Information Interfaces and Presentation]:
Multimedia Information Systems–Artificial, augmented, and
virtual realities
1 INTRODUCTION
In this study, we investigate an alternative method for presenting
haptic information using sound. Haptic sensation is considered to
provide information related to the contact location on the surface
of the hand, the status of contact, such as the force produced on
the contact area, and the properties of the object in the contact
area, such as its shape and texture. If this information can be
mapped to different sounds and this mapping is received
intuitively by the user, haptic information can be conveyed to the
user through sound.
2 MAPPING FROM HAPTIC TO AUDITORY SENSATIONS
To represent haptic information using sound, it is necessary to
determine the properties of haptic sensation that are mapped to the
properties of the sound. Sound is a temporal change in pressure in
the air and humans can perceive various properties in sound
waves. Typical properties include the loudness, intensity, timbre,
and temporal patterns [1]. In this study, the mapping of the
contact position, contact intensity, and shape of the object into
sound was investigated.
Our mapping approach considered the properties of the haptic
information. For the position of the contact, the first parameter
(i.e., identification of fingers) was mapped to the pitch and an
analogy with the piano was intended, while the second parameter
(i.e., the length of the finger) was mapped to the timbre. The
intensity of the force was mapped to the intensity of the sound,
which was a straightforward mapping. Information related to the
edge was mapped to the frequency of modulation or the
fluctuation of the base pitch.
This paper reports our preliminary investigation of substituting
haptic information in object manipulation with sound. A haptic
sensation is considered to provide information such as the area of
contact on the hand, the intensity of pressure, and the geometric
features of the object in the contact area. In our investigation, this
information was mapped to the pitch, timbre, volume level, and
fluctuations in the pitch. The performance in object recognition
and manipulation was evaluated, which showed that the
representation of sound facilitated the performance of these tasks
in non-visual conditions.
Keywords: Object Manipulation, Auditory Feedback
Index Terms: H.5.1 [Information Interfaces and Presentation]:
Multimedia Information Systems–Artificial, augmented, and
virtual realities
1 INTRODUCTION
In this study, we investigate an alternative method for presenting
haptic information using sound. Haptic sensation is considered to
provide information related to the contact location on the surface
of the hand, the status of contact, such as the force produced on
the contact area, and the properties of the object in the contact
area, such as its shape and texture. If this information can be
mapped to different sounds and this mapping is received
intuitively by the user, haptic information can be conveyed to the
user through sound.
2 MAPPING FROM HAPTIC TO AUDITORY SENSATIONS
To represent haptic information using sound, it is necessary to
determine the properties of haptic sensation that are mapped to the
properties of the sound. Sound is a temporal change in pressure in
the air and humans can perceive various properties in sound
waves. Typical properties include the loudness, intensity, timbre,
and temporal patterns [1]. In this study, the mapping of the
contact position, contact intensity, and shape of the object into
sound was investigated.
Our mapping approach considered the properties of the haptic
information. For the position of the contact, the first parameter
(i.e., identification of fingers) was mapped to the pitch and an
analogy with the piano was intended, while the second parameter
(i.e., the length of the finger) was mapped to the timbre. The
intensity of the force was mapped to the intensity of the sound,
which was a straightforward mapping. Information related to the
edge was mapped to the frequency of modulation or the
fluctuation of the base pitch.