Haptic
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How about a nice hot cup of virtual tea?
Electronics company ALPS tests (and manufactures) all kinds of things. But its virtual cup, made possibly by haptic technology and heat transmission, is the electronics manufacturer at its weird best. The cup, which is the size of a typical tumbler, is able to transmits a material's tensile strength and even the temperature of your beverage of choosing. That is, as long as it's cold water in a plastic cup or hot tea in a mug. As you tilt it, you feel the weight of the cup shift, and hear the water slosh around. As Engadget's Deputy Tea Editor, I can confirm that the effect is... freaky.
'Football Fan Shirt' uses haptics to help you feel the big match
If you're already a huge fan of football (aka soccer) and wish you could feel those sweet victories and bitter defeats, Wearable Experiments thinks it can help. Just in time for the Euro 2016 tournament, it's showing off an international version of its smartphone-connected Football Fan Shirt that sends haptic vibrations to your torso whenever there's a big play by a team you follow. You'll savor goals that much more, of course, but the clothing can also register everything from tackles to the dreaded red card.
Disney's remote control robots move just like people
Imagine walking into a Disney theme park and being greeted by Mike from Monsters Inc. A life-size Mike, perfectly spherically-proportioned on those spindly legs. Fitting a human into a costume like that is impossible. That's why Disney Research is building a new kind of haptic-feedback remote control system which will allow us to control robots as easily as we move ourselves.
Car screens are getting force touch tech
Large touchscreen infotainment systems have become an important feature in modern cars, but they can also be a huge distraction for drivers. Synaptics thinks it would help if you could "feel" the screen, so it teamed with auto accessory supplier Valeo to create a new type of automotive display. It will be equipped with the company's ClearForce tech that provides force sensing and haptic feedback. The idea is to provide a safer interface that supports single finger, multi- and variable haptic touch, so that drivers or passengers can use the interface without looking at it.
Teslasuit does full-body haptic feedback for VR
Smartphone-powered headsets like Google Cardboard and Samsung's Gear VR have been worthy stop-gaps for introducing the medium of modern virtual reality. But this year, more resource-intensive VR experiences, games especially, will finally make it into consumers' homes. Pre-orders for the final Oculus Rift opened today, and competitors like Playstation VR and HTC's Vive aren't too far behind. For start-up Tesla Studios, though, pulling on a headset and grabbing a controller just doesn't seem immersive enough. That's why it's developing the Teslasuit, a full-body haptic feedback ensemble for putting you well and truly in the game.
Headband detects obstacles and guides the blind haptically
Until scientists perfect bionic vision, shouldn't there be a better way for the blind to get around than a simple cane? That's the idea behind Sentiri, a proximity-sensing headband that helps steer users around by motor-driven haptic feedback. It detects objects in the environment using infrared depth sensors, then varies the level of vibrations to the user's head to help them avoid obstacles. If it's connected to a smartphone with an app like Google Maps, the tool can also safely guide you from point 'A' to point 'B.' The company behind it, Chaotic Moon, also created a "haptic language" that transmits extra information to users by changing the frequency, intensity and number of vibrations.
ICYMI: Far away haptic hello, birthing robot mom and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-3569{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-3569, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-3569{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-3569").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: The Haptoclone allows users to touch and interact with distant objects, in a way you have to see to understand. But basically, long-distance makeouts over Skype are coming. Cambridge University researchers designed a robot that can make it's own 'children,' then test them for the strongest features, to then incorporate for the following generation. And the FIA Formula E Championship (the E is for electricity-based power) just showcased its new cars for the start of its second official season.
Your Apple Watch is late because of bad haptic feedback parts
Wondering why your Apple Watch won't ship for weeks, even though you ordered as soon as humanly possible? The Wall Street Journal might know why. Its sources claim that some Taptic Engines (the haptic feedback unit that vibrates your wrist) broke down in early testing, prompting Cupertino to switch suppliers and create a massive-but-necessary logistical headache. From all indications, Apple is pushing many orders to June simply because it expects to get up to speed by then. That won't be much consolation if you're staring at a bare arm for the next month or more, but you'll at least know why you're missing out. [Image credit: iFixit]
Solid's vibrating handlebars navigate bike lanes on its 3D printed frame
Just like when you're driving a car, glancing down at your phone while biking the busy streets of your city can be quite dangerous. Thanks to a Portland-based design firm, there's a bike that allows you to keep your eyes on the road while getting those much-needed directions. The folks at Industry teamed up with local builders Ti Cycles for Solid: a Bluetooth-enabled two-wheeler that connects to a smartphone app monitoring bike maintenance and offers vibrating handlebars for head's up GPS navigation. A companion app, My Bike, keeps an eye on burned out lights and other potential upkeep headaches. My City, a second bit of software, serves as guide for blazing the bike lanes of your chosen locale.
These smart shoes vibrate to point you in the right direction
One of the best uses for wearable technology is to help you get around without being hunched over your smartphone. Google Glass and smartwatches do this, but you're still staring at a screen instead of enjoying the scenery. That's all set to change thanks to an Indian company that wants to put navigation equipment in your shoes. The Lechal interactive haptic footwear hooks up to your smartphone and when you reach a junction, vibrates the left (or right) foot depending on which turn you need to make. The gear is expected to launch in September, and you'll be able to choose between full shoes or just insoles that'll fit inside your regular pair of kicks. You can register your interest on Ducere's website right now, and can expect to pay $150 for a pair -- hopefully a portion of which will go to the creators of Red Dwarf, who came up with a similar idea 26 years ago.
We get touchy-feely with Fujitsu's haptic sensory tablet (video)
Since Fujitsu's prototype Haptic Sensor Tablet revealed yesterday is all about touch, describing it will be like trying to explain how a steak tastes. But here goes: It works by emitting ultrasonic vibrations below the touchscreen, which can be pulsed with varying force on any region of the screen. Those oscillations actually push your finger off the surface of the tablet and, depending on the strength, can give different tactile sensations. For instance, a high-pressure layer of air can reduce friction, making the surface of the screen seem slippery. By contrast, rapidly varying the pulses can make the display seem rough or even bumpy. At least, that's the theory. After trying it, we found some illusions like the slippery surface to be very convincing. Different textures could also exist on different regions of the screen at a resolution of several pixels. That made other simulations, like the clicking of a combination lock or DJ app volume control uncannily accurate. But the rough-texture test felt more like the screen was just sticky, and the bumpy experience was even less convincing. When touching the crocodile skin, for instance, it just felt like I was moving my finger over slippery and then clingy patches. When using it, there's also an unnatural, mildly disconcerting buzzing sensation. All said, though, it was still a lot of fun, and it's hard to see how you could get much more realistic than that with a smooth, 2D surface (as opposed to the popup overlay on the Tactus display, for instance). There's a video after the fold showing it in action, but we apologize for the occasionally poor sound quality -- as you'll see, each time the haptics activated, it messed up our camera's microphone.
Fujitsu plans to launch feel-o-vision haptic tablets by 2015
Back in 2012, we were all excited at the idea of haptic technology -- touch screens that fool you into thinking that you can feel what's on display. As quickly as we saw Senseg and NEC's implementations, however, haptic fell out of the mainstream. Now, however, Fujitsu is working on an ultrasonic system, that varies the friction between your finger and the glass, which could be ready for prime time. In the demonstration, users are apparently able to pluck the strings of a Japanese harp, turn a combination lock and even stroke an Alligator. The company has knocked together a prototype in time for MWC, and Fujitsu has a goal to get the tech into commercial hardware by 2015 -- assuming, of course, that realistic lizard stroking is the one feature you've been waiting for.
Hands-on with Disney Research's AIREAL haptic feedback technology (video)
If you're hoping to get some more tactile feedback out of augmented reality environments, the folks at Disney Research have devised the AIREAL system that could end up doing just that. The team is showing off the project at SIGGRAPH's Emerging Technologies space, so we made sure to stop by for a look and feel. As quick refresher, the technology reacts to the user's gestures by churning out a vortex of air to provide tactile feedback in real space -- thanks to an almost entirely 3D printed enclosure and a smattering of actuators and depth sensors. In the demo we saw, hovering our hand just over a display summoned a butterfly. Once it landed, that small bit of air offered up the physical sensation that it was actually touching us. As we moved closer to a virtual open window, wings went a flutter and the whole sensation increased a bit. Sure, what we saw was a fairly simple use scenario, but there are aspirations for this to enhance gaming experiences and other augmented environments (likely within the confines of a Disney park, of course) with the addition of haptic feedback. Looking for a bit more info? Consult the video after the break for just that. %Gallery-194620%
Disney Research's AIREAL creates haptic feedback out of thin air
Disney Research is at it again. The arm of Walt's empire responsible for interactive house plants wants to add haptic feedback not to a seat cushion, but to thin air. Using a combination of 3D-printed components -- thank the MakerBots for those -- with five actuators and a gaggle of sensors, AIREAL pumps out tight vortices of air to simulate tactility in three dimensional space. The idea is to give touchless experiences like motion control a form of physical interaction, offering the end user a more natural response through, well, touch. Like most of the lab's experiments this has been in the works for a while, and the chances of it being used outside of Disneyworld anytime soon are probably slim. AIREAL will be on display at SIGGRAPH in Anaheim from Sunday to Wednesday this week. Didn't register? Check out the video after the break.
AblePlanet preps a gaming headset with smart haptics, we preview the tech inside (hands-on)
Headsets with vibrating haptics aren't exactly novel -- we've already seen such offerings from Skullcandy as well as Sony. Now AblePlanet is coming out with something similar, but the underlying technology makes it considerably smarter than anything currently on the market. The company recently announced it's pairing up with haptics firm ViviTouch to make a gaming headset that offers different-feeling vibrations depending on what kind of music you're listening to, or what's happening in the game. The as-yet-unnamed headset will go on sale within the next six to nine months, according to AblePlanet, with pricing to be announced at a later date. Additionally, the companies plan to team up on other projects, including ear canal devices for field workers (firefighters, etc.) and even products for the hearing impaired. Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, we want to give you a quick preview of the headset, which we tested for a few minutes here at CES. Unfortunately, the set we tested today was merely a retrofitted NC1000CH plugged into a control box. Still, it gave us a good sense of what we can expect when the final product drops later this year. Meet us after the break to learn more.
Google settles patent lawsuit from Immersion over Motorola use of haptic feedback
Immersion is known for guarding its haptic feedback patents with enthusiasm -- just ask Microsoft, among others. Motorola learned first-hand when Immersion sued over the use of basic haptic technology in May, but all that's water under the bridge now that Motorola's new parent Google is settling the matter out of court. While the exact sums aren't public, Google will pay Immersion to address any relevant past shipments, license the patents for future Motorola shipments and take care of "certain issues" with Google-badged hardware using the disputed vibration techniques. Immersion's end of the bargain is simply to end its legal action, including an ITC complaint, although the company makes clear that non-Motorola Android phones aren't covered by the deal. We're sure Google isn't happy to shoulder additional costs on top of its $12.5 billion Motorola acquisition, although it may see the settlement as a matter of establishing focus. After all, there's bigger fish to fry.
ForcePhone from Nokia Research, HIIT sends positive vibes with a squeeze
Most device vibration technology is used as pure feedback -- either confirmation that you've pressed something or that you've come across an obstacle. If a prototype developed by Nokia Research and the Helsinki Institute of Information Technology ever translates to production, however, it'll be as much a part of personal phone conversations as a soft voice or a cheeky text message. The modified N900 attaches a resistor that responds to a squeeze at four different pressure levels, and doles that out during a traditional or Skype-based call as a vibration on the other end. As you'd imagine, the aim is to give family, friends and lovers the closest they'll get to a hug (or the occasional frustration) when the distance is just too great for an in-person visit. Don't hold your breath for an extra-lovable Lumia anytime soon: there's no mention of any near-term production plans, and any adoption would require a platform switch just to get started. But if we ever see "reach out and touch someone" become a lot more than a slogan, we'll know where it came from.
Nokia patents haptic system to simulate linear motion, assist with navigational route guidance
The crew in Espoo have just added a new patent to the arsenal that promises to add a refined level of haptic feedback to the user experience. Fundamental to Nokia's plan is a matrix of independent haptic devices that remain stationary, but combine to simulate the sensation of linear and circular movement. Not only could the enhanced feedback bring a new level of interaction to the software interface, but Nokia also hypothesizes that the system will be useful for providing navigational route guidance -- say, without the need for visual or auditory feedback. Given the company's other research in the field of haptic systems, it seems Nokia's future may be full of good vibrations, indeed.
Disney's REVEL could turn the whole world into a tactile touchscreen (video)
Disney Research think it can go one better on Tactile and Haptic touch displays by using electrical fields to add sensation to nearly anything you can touch. Using Reverse Electrovibration, REVEL works by strapping an electrostatic signal generator to your body, so when you come into contact with an object on the same electrical plane, that low-level field can be altered to create friction. It's hoped that the technology could revolutionize touchscreens, add a whole new level of feeling to augmented reality and help blind people feel their way around. There's a video after the break, but be warned, it's light on the sort of cartoony hijinks you'd normally expect from the House of Mouse.
Keio University's Kinect-based Haptic VR system lets you roll your own face flat (video)
A research team at Keio University has built a fun haptic virtual reality system that enables you to manipulate pictures with a rolling pin. A vertically mounted Kinect takes a 3D image that is then displayed on the projection surface. Using the rolling pin, the image can be rolled over and flattened as if it was dough -- with a series of motor cranks inside the implement to replicate the necessary feedback so you can feel what it'd be like to iron out your own face. It's been designed as a modern-day update to the penny-squashing machines you found in theme parks, except with slightly more grotesqueness. You can watch the face-mashing in glorious color after the break.
