Efficient bimodal haptic weight actuation

Abstract

In virtual environment scenarios the physical object property weight is rarely provided for operators due to its extensive technical complexity. This paper addresses two approaches that both rely on pseudo-haptic feedback and that enable an efficient display of weight: pneumatic and control/display feedback. The former offers the substitution of proprioceptive weight perception by asserting well-defined pressure levels to the operator's wrist while the latter feedback mode encodes weight by visually altering the motion of the virtual hand compared to the real hand movement. Two experiments (A and B) were conducted in order to derive Stevens' functions that express the relationship between objective feedback settings and subjective weight perception. Additionally, a conjoint analysis (experiment C) was carried out that quantifies the weight of each single feedback modality in simultaneous feedback conditions. Finally, the results of user ratings regarding the quality of the bimodal feedback are presented. Both displays prove to be of value as the majority of human test subjects report haptic perceptions without any real haptic stimulation. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.