Haptic
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US Army testing haptic belt that nudges soldiers in the right direction
Haptic belts and other wearable devices that can guide you may not exactly be a new idea -- we've even seen some DIY attempts -- but the US Army testing them? Well, that's something worth noting. As New Scientist reports, the Army Research Office in North Carolina is now working on just such a device (likely more advanced than the one pictured here), and hopes that the belts could eventually be used to remotely guide soldiers on the battlefield. That's done with a combination of GPS, an accelerometer and a compass -- and, of course, the haptic part of the equation, which vibrates or pulses to point the soldier in the right direction, or indicate when they're nearing their target. The idea there being to reduce the need for any handheld devices (at least until thought helmets become a reality), which can both take the soldiers' eyes off the battlefield and potentially reveal their position at night. There's still no indication as to when the belts might actually see use in the field, but early tests show that they're at least as accurate as a handheld GPS, and the soldiers say they actually prefer it. [Image credit: Sreekar Krishna]
DataBot mouse and HDD concepts give weight to files, encourage data purges (video)
Mice have been a computing mainstay since pretty close to the dawn of the PC, but they don't offer much in terms of information about the on-screen data you're interacting with. What if they featured physical feedback to tip you off to things like the size of the files you're moving around? Two German students have answered that question likely before you even had a chance to ask. The result is an admittedly cool concept that slows the roll of your mouse, giving files the feeling weight based on the size of their contents. A "breathing" feature can also clue you in to how much a given file has been used. Also worthy of mention is their DataBot Harddrive concept, which expands and contracts based on the amount of space being used up. Video of weirdly lifelike peripherals after the break.
KDDI haptic smartphone prototype promises up to seven layers of touch, only shows off two
Ah, another possibly vaporous, yet intriguing addition to a long line of haptic patents and prototypes. Today's offering: a KDDI smartphone mockup (utilizing Kyocera display technology) promising to render sensation through multiple layers of applied touchscreen pressure. Imagine depressing a camera shutter on a touchscreen, and you've got the idea. KDDI only had a screen sporting two haptic layers on hand when they demoed the prototype at Wireless Japan this week, but Kyocera reportedly told Akihabara News that the technology is capable of up to seven layers of tantalizing touch. Neat. Maybe we'll get a few authentic haptic touchscreens on the market and do away with all the vibrational fakery we've been seeing.
Robotic wheelchair uses 3D imaging to 'see' for visually impaired drivers
You may not be able to control it with your mind, but this robotic wheelchair from Sweden's Luleå University of Technology can still offer something that only a few others can -- "sight." The chair uses a laser sensor to generate a 3D map of its surroundings, which is then transferred to an on-board haptic robot, allowing the bot to pick up on and navigate its way around any obstacles. A visually impaired student already took the contraption out for a spin and said he felt "safe" while traveling through crowded corridors, comparing the experience to "using a white cane." Luleå's engineers, however, still have some fine tuning to do. The laser, for instance, can only recognize objects at a specific height, while ignoring everything above or below its field of vision. Researchers are also busy developing a new 3D camera for the chair and are hoping to have it ready for commercial use within the next five years. There's a full PR waiting for you after the break.
Enzo's Pinball gets you all touchy-feely with your phone
We got a hands-on sample of Haptify's haptic-powered apps a couple months back and came away intrigued, but yearning for more. Well, the company is finally ready to sate our penchant for playtime physicality with its first game, Enzo's Pinball. The game debuts with three tables ("more coming soon"), and is designed to let you feel every bump, rattle, and ricochet as if it were the real thing. It isn't identical to its tangible counterpart, but it is an upgrade over the rumble-free digital competition. Haptify's haptic black magic works with handsets running Android 2.1 and up, so there's an awful lot of potential pinball wizards out there. You can grab the game in the Android Market and it'll cost $1.49 to give in to your tactile desires.
NEC's ArmKeypad lets you play charades to control your media player (video)
Okay, two words, sounds like... wait, it's one word? Okay, two words in one. First word, three letters, sounds like "arm." Oh, it is "arm." Okay, second word. You're typing. Typing on keys. It's keyboard. It's not a keyboard? No, it is a keyboard. The word isn't "keyboard?" Really? Maybe "keypad?" It's "keypad!" What the heck is an ArmKeypad? Turns out it's NEC's attempt at letting us control our portable devices using charades-like gestures, which we first heard about last week. You can tap your arms in different places to control volume or skip tracks, even clap your hands if you're happy and your want your PMP to know it. The system relies on a wrist-borne accelerometer that detects the impacts and, while the video below looks a bit goofy, that's far better than fumbling with your smartphone while sucking wind on your thrice-weekly runs. And, it's certainly far simpler than the projected Skinput. NEC expects to have this tech built into a watch-like device sometime within the next two years. That watch had better have a calculator.
Immersion releases SDK to put haptics in Android, helps smartphones move what their makers gave them
About a month ago, we told you about Immersion's MOTIV dev platform to design Android apps with tactile feedback, and today its release has finally arrived. The SDK comes with predesigned haptic effects, sample code, and the ability to tweak the duration and intensity of the feedback -- allowing developers to perfectly tailor the amount of shake in your groove thang. Interested parties can hit up the source link for the SDK download and start indulging in the haptic dark arts immediately.
Immersion's MOTIV development platform integrates haptics into Android, we go hands-on
You may know that Immersion's haptic technology is in everything from surgical simulators to game controllers, but we're willing to bet you didn't know it's already baked into over 200 million existing devices -- including every Samsung Galaxy S smartphone and handsets by Nokia and LG. Now, using Android handsets' existing vibrator motors, a cheap software upgrade can inject force feedback into existing elements across the entire Android UI (2.2 and up), and with future devices -- built with multi-dollar piezoelectric actuators that vibrate the screen itself -- the haptic experience goes hi-fi. Now that it's revealed that little easter egg to the world, Immersion wants you to build some apps, and to that end it's releasing the MOTIV developer platform this March. Read all about it after the break. %Gallery-116198%
Mophie Pulse haptic game grip hands-on
Today at CES, Mophie showed off a prototype of its Pulse game grip for the 4th-generation iPod touch, which features battery-powered front-facing stereo speakers and haptic feedback by Reflex Technology. We spent some time using the Pulse and came away rather impressed. Game audio, music, and even the keyboard tick sound get translated into convincing pulses and vibrations. The iPod touch interfaces with the Pulse via the 3.5mm headphone jack, and a switch on the bottom left edge turns the haptic feedback on and off. As a bonus, the Pulse also offers full case protection. No word yet on availability or pricing, but you can check out the prototype in the gallery below. %Gallery-112607%
Kinect and haptics combine at the University of Washington to let you feel the future (video)
Sure, looking at the future is great and all, and that's what we feel like we're doing with all these wonderful Kinect hacks we've been covering lately. But what about feeling the future, man? That's what the kids at the University of Washington BioRobotics Laboratory are up to, taking the 3D images created by Microsoft's gaming peripheral and combining that with a 3D haptic controller, what looks to be a SensAble Phantom to us. The result? A so-called "haptic handshake," which looks even more uncomfortable than when Hank and Dean do their "Go Team Venture" routine. You can see both embedded after the break and decide for yourself. [Thanks, Jonas]
MS applies for patent on 'light-induced shape-memory,' a touchscreen that could touch back
Touchscreens are selfish lovers, taking your gentle caresses and impatient taps without offering a hint of feedback to you. We've seen attempts to change that, like prototypes from Toshiba and Senseg that add a bit of texture to a touchable surface, but now Microsoft might be looking to bring such dynamic tactility to the one of the biggest touchable surfaces: Surface. A recent patent application entitled "Light-induced Shape-memory Polymer Display Screen" describes a technique for a display that uses infra-red light to detect touch, but also to "selectively change a topography of the topography-changing layer." In other words: to make it bumpy or smooth. Certain wavelengths of light projected on the screen can cause areas of that topography layer expand or contract, which could finally mean all our cries for attention might finally be responded to in kind.
Shear feedback GPS navigation tells your fingers where to go, you just have to follow (video)
Keeping your eyes on the road gets ever more difficult with ever-bigger, ever-brighter GPS navigation units hitting retail. This product of University of Utah research could obsolete them entirely by tickling your fingers. It's called "shear feedback," effectively stretching the skin on your fingertip to tell you which way to go, achieved via a pair of old Thinkpad trackpoints, which were always too coarse a grit for our delicate tastes. The nub moves left or right to tell you where to go, and in a test distracted drivers were 24 percent more likely to follow directions through their digits than when told by cold, uncaring GPS lady. It's demonstrated after the break and looks like it would be perfect if we always drove at ten and two -- and wanted to get our fingerprints sandpapered off on every trip to the mall.
Axon Logic's Haptic tablet can run a desktop's OS, has a desktop's price
Half a year ago, you'd have been forgiven for expecting that today both Windows 7 and Mac OS X would have flagship tablets representing them, in the shape of the HP Slate and the Apple iPad. Alas, one of those devices ran away to enterprise land and the other opted for a mobile OS. It's against this backdrop of disappointment that Axon's Haptic tablet enters, with confirmation that its Atom-based innards are fully compatible with Linux, Windows and Mac operating environments. With a 10.1-inch resistive touchscreen, 320GB HDD, 2GB of RAM, and a trio of USB ports, it's another of those devices you could classify as a keyboard-less netbook, but at least its OS versatility will give it a leg up. Then again, with a pre-order price of $750 and no bundled OS licenses, we suspect it might need a little more than that to succeed where so many have failed.
UC San Diego researchers repurpose 3D HDTV for heads-up VR system
Off the shelf 3D HDTVs may still be a bit expensive from a consumer's point of view, but they're a downright bargain compared to the usual high-end virtual reality gear. This gave some researchers at UC San Diego a bright idea: they've paired a $2,300 Samsung 3D TV with a half-silvered mirror and a touch-feedback controller for a haptic-enabled heads-up virtual reality system (or HUVR) that costs just $7,000 (without head tracking). What's more, they say their system actually outperforms the PARIS HUVR system developed twelve years ago (and still in use), which cost a full $100,000. Head on past the break for a quick video of the rig in action. [Thanks, Chase]
Apple patents another haptic feedback solution
AppleInsider reports that Apple is still bouncing around ideas for a screen that allows for haptic feedback on its iOS devices. A new patent filed this week outlines a system of screens on a device designed to not only detect touch and protect the underlying technology but also provide physical feedback in various areas of the screen. We've talked about this before, and Apple's been working on it for a while; as nice as the iPhone and iPad's screens are, there are some functions (like typing on a keyboard or hitting buttons in games) that call for a little more physical feedback. The patent also mentions things like giving users notice when they've reached a limit (as in scrolling or panning across pictures) or providing clicks on a scroll wheel. Unfortunately, this is all still in the prototype stages. For whatever reason (I can guess a few, from power requirements to manufacturing costs), Apple still hasn't included any of this technology in a production device. But they're obviously very interested in providing haptic feedback, so hopefully, it won't be too long before we see an idea like this come to fruition.
Toshiba brings texture to touch (video)
Reach out and touch whatever screen you're reading this on. What if, instead of feeling the glass or plastic beneath your finger, you could experience the texture of a brush, woodgrain, or even a stone? Well, Toshiba's working on just such a project, which operates on the basis of a film affixed to, say, a smartphone's touch panel -- electrical currents are sent through this layer, and your digits are shot up with the simulated sensation of touching those various surfaces. Senseg, the company behind this tech, has been around since 2008, but perhaps this recent prototype demo is a sign that things might actually start going places. It's not like there'll be a shortage of imaginative uses for such precise tactile feedback. Video after the break.
Artificial Muscle ramps up production -- expect touchscreens that push back in 2011
Last we heard from Artificial Muscle, the company was trying to convince hospitals, cell phone manufacturers and more that its technology -- a silicon film that expands and contracts with an applied voltage -- would provide a real sense of touch to their cold, hard touchscreens. On at least three counts, it has succeeded. The San Jose Mercury News reports that two cell phone manufacturers are planning Artificial Muscle-based products in 2011, and that an "electronics entertainment product" will be released this Christmas. The company also plans to produce 1 million of the electronic actuators per month to anticipate further demand. While the Mercury News notes that Artificial Muscle's product isn't the holy grail of haptic feedback -- the entire screen stiffens when pressed, not just the spot you touch -- its adoption means the company may have set events in motion to ultimately reach that goal.
Immerz KOR-fx acousto-haptic contraption hands-on
Feeling the limitations of your aging Aura Interactor vest? Then you might just be the rare sort of customer that Immerz is after with its new KOR-fx "acousto-haptic" wearable device. As you might have suspected, the device doesn't exactly blow you away when you strap it on, but it is at least somewhat more impressive than a pair of speakers strapped to your chest. That might be enough to get by if it was priced for an impulse buy, but at a hefty $180 it's clearly landed in the smallest of niche markets -- the fact that it feels unnervingly like a medical device of some sort when you have it on doesn't help things either. Head on past the break for a quick video, and hit up the gallery below for a closer look. %Gallery-82126%
Immerz KOR-fx 'acousto-haptic' gaming tech gets a ship date
The kids at Immerz want you to know that KOR-fx, the "acousto-haptic technology" that you never knew you wanted, is set to make its all star debut at CES this week. Compatible with any machine that sports audio, the device is essentially a set of speakers that deliver "nearly imperceptible vibrations" to areas of the chest -- activating various neural pathways and creating "a more immersive entertainment experience" somewhat akin to "an uncanny '7th Sense' awareness," reinventing "all forms of multi-media entertainment" in the process. Never mind 3D, your gaming experience just got exceptionally creepy! This bad boy has been available for pre-order for a while now at the princely sum of $190, so if you already made the leap you can expect delivery sometime in May. PR after the break, yo.
Survey: Less than half of touchscreen users prefer touchscreen
Here's a few interesting stats from a survey recently conducted in Europe. These aren't specifically about the iPhone, but given that smartphones relied on buttons almost exclusively before Apple's handheld came along (and nowadays, everyone's bragging about their touchscreen technology), a temperature-taking on what people think of touchscreen controls is more or less a referendum on what people think of Apple's influence. At least in France, Germany and the UK, reactions are mixed. While 38% of those surveyed say they were planning to get a touchscreen on their next mobile phone, only 47% of people who already owned a touchscreen said they would get another one. In other words, less than half of touchscreen owners thought they'd stick with the technology on their next purchase. Apple remains an anomaly -- both HTC and Apple have a higher amount of current customers planning to stick with their touchscreen interface (with the full numbers being released at a conference later this month), but the fact remains: current touchscreen users aren't anywhere near 100% on living button-free forever. Especially as a gamer, that makes a lot of sense. Touchscreens are great for a lot of things -- they allow for limitless flexibility in the kinds of interfaces on offer, and especially with multi-touch, a lot of the controls on the iPhone are extremely intuitive (you automatically know now that pinching equals zooming, and so on). But as nice as touchscreen is, there are a lot of functions on mobile phones, from adjusting volume or changing music tracks on a phone out of sight in your pocket, to hitting exact button controls while twitch gaming, that work much better with tactile feedback. Steve, as he always does, made a big deal about the iPhone being a one-button interface, but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see future iterations of the iPhone include either a few more buttons, or, even better, a few more haptic interface technologies.
