HAPTICS THE SCIENCE OF TOUCH IN REAL AND VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

Sushma Singh#
Mtech Scholar Computer Science Engg. , Rajasthan Technical University,Kota 1 singhsus5211@gmail.com Abstract how the human sense of touch works by allowing the creation Haptics is an technology that the provide the sense of touch to of carefully controlled haptic virtual objects. These objects are virtual environments as well as to the real environment. Illusion used to systematically probe human haptic capabilities, which are provide to the usres that they are touching or manipulating a would otherwise be difficult to achieve. These new research real physical object. Haptics provide a recent enhancement to tools contribute to our understanding of how touch and its virtual environments which allow users to touch and feel the simulated objects with which they interact and use . Haptics is underlying brain functions work. Although haptic devices are the science of touch. The word derives from the Greek haptikos capable of measuring bulk or reactive forces that are applied which means being able to come into contact with. The study of by the user, it should not to be confused with touch or tactile haptics emerged from advances in virtual reality. Virtual reality sensors that measure the pressure or force exerted by the user is a kind of human-computer interaction that provide a virtual to the interface. environment that one can explore through direct interaction with Virtual Reality systems present a computer-generated visual our senses. Virtual Reality systems provide a computer- and auditory experience that allows a user to be immersed generated visual and auditory experience that enhanance the within a computer generated world for various purposes. user with immersed application within a computer generated Used in conjunction with traditional computer input systems world for various purposes. this can be used, for example, as a powerful design tool allowing a user to see objects that he or she is designing. The Keywords Haptic, Virtual environment, Virtual Reality, application to entertainment or training simulation systems is Haptic Feedback, Sense equally useful as it allows for the creation of an infinite number of immersive environments to suit any need. I. INTRODUCTION Haptic technology allows creating computer-generated Haptic In today era of computer various different systems Virtual Objects (HVOs), which can be touched and currently exist which provide information to the human senses manipulated with one's hands or body. HVOs provide a rich of sight and hearing. Audio and video systems have been combination of cutaneous and kinesthetic stimulation through perfected over many decades so that it is now possible for a a bidirectional haptic (touch) information flow between HVOs user to wear small devices, such as goggles and earphones, and human users. [2] which will allow a user to see and hear various forms of information. Systems exist currently and others are being II. WORKING OF HAPTIC SYSTEMS further developed that interface with a third human sense, the sense of touch. These systems are called Haptic Systems or A. Basic Configuration of haptic System simply Haptics. The inclusion of haptic systems, such as the A haptic system consist of two parts namely the human part ones presented in the following sections, allows for the and the machine part. ,the human part senses and controls the creation of fully immersive environments that can provide a position of the hand, while the machine part exerts forces user with the three major inputs of visual, auditory and haptic from the hand to simulate contact with a virtual object. Also information. These systems can be used for virtual reality and both the systems will be provided with necessary sensors, telepresence applications. The ability to generate visual, processors and actuators. auditory and haptic stimuli makes it possible to accurately In the case of the human system, nerve receptors performs generate almost any environment that is desired in a sensing, brain performs processing and muscles performs actuation of the motion performed by the hand while in the believable and immersive manner.[1] Haptic technology refers to technology that interfaces the user case of the machine system, these functions are performed by with a virtual environment via the sense of touch by applying the encoders, computer and motors respectively. forces, vibrations, and/or motions to the user. This mechanical stimulation may be used to assist in the creation of virtual objects (objects existing only in a computer simulation), for control of such virtual objects, and to enhance the remote control of machines and devices (teleoperators). This emerging technology promises to have wide-reaching applications as it already has in some fields. For example, haptic technology has made it possible to investigate in detail
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such as a wired glove, the Polhemus boom arm, and omnidirectional treadmill. The simulated environment can be similar to the real world, for example, simulations for pilot or combat training, or it can differ significantly from reality, as in VR games. In practice, it is currently very difficult to create a high-fidelity virtual reality experience, due largely to technical limitations on processing power, image resolution and communication bandwidth. [5] [6] A. HAPTIC FEEDBACK ARCHITECTURE Virtual reality (VR) applications strive to simulate real or imaginary scenes with which users can interact and perceive the effects of their actions in real time. Ideally the user interacts with the simulation via all five senses. However, todays typical VR applications rely on a smaller subset, typically vision, hearing, and more recently, touch. Fig. 1 Basic system configuration B. Haptic Information Haptic information provided by the system has the combination of Tactile information and Kinesthetic information. 1) Tactile information refers the information acquired by the sensors which are actually connected to the skin of the human body with a particular reference to the spatial distribution of pressure, or more generally, tractions, across the contact area. 2) Kinesthetic information refers to the information acquired through the sensors in the joints. III. CREATION OF VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT Virtual reality is the technology which allows a user to interact with a computer-simulated environment, whether that environment is a simulation of the real world or an imaginary world. Most current virtual reality environments are primarily visual experiences, displayed either on a computer screen or through special or stereoscopic displays. Fig. 3 Haptic feedback architecture Figure shows the structure of a VR application incorporating visual, auditory, and haptic feedback. [7] The applications main elements are: The simulation engine, responsible for computing the virtual environments behavior over time Visual, auditory, and haptic rendering algorithms, which compute the virtual environments graphic, sound, and force responses toward the user Transducers, which convert visual, audio, and force signals from the computer into a form the operator can perceive. The human operator typically holds or wears the haptic interface device and perceives audiovisual feedback from audio and visual displays .Whereas audio and visual channels feature unidirectional information and energy flow , the haptic modality exchanges information and energy in two directions, from and toward the user. This bidirectional is often referred to as the single most important feature of the haptic interaction modality. [3] B. HAPTIC RENDERING Haptic interaction occurs at an interaction tool of a haptic interface that mechanically couples two controlled dynamical

Fig. 2 Reproducing a real-world interaction scenario (a) with a haptic virtual object (b) Some advanced, haptic systems now include tactile information, generally known as force feedback, in medical and gaming applications. Users can interact with a virtual environment or a virtual artifact (VA) either through the use of standard input devices such as a keyboard and mouse, or through multimodal devices

systems: the haptic interface with a computer and the human user with a central nervous system. The two systems are exactly symmetrical in structure and information and they sense the environments, make decisions about control actions, and provide mechanical energies to the interaction tool through motions. [4]

vectors computed by force response algorithms feed the control algorithms. The algorithms return values are the actual force and torque vectors that will be commanded to the haptic device IV. CONCLUSION The continued implementation of haptic and tactile devices to aid people with disabilities we continue to advance and will benefit as we increasing design products with Universal Design central to the development process. Much of haptic technology is currently limited to consumers however it is believe that future generation of mobile phone devices and games console accessories will continue to implement more haptic feedback into these product ranges. It could be concluded that however impressive haptic technology is for consumers it is still embryonic when compared to full fledged VR simulations. REFERENCES
[1] J.C. Roberts and S. Paneels, Where Are We with Haptic Visualization? Proc. World Haptics Conf. (WHC 07), pp. 316-323, 2007 Salisbury, J K and Srinivasan, M A, Sections on Haptics, In Virtual Environment Technology for Training, BBN Report No. 7661, Prepared by The Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Research Consortium (VETREC), MIT, 1992. Haptic Rendering: Introductory Concepts-Kenneth Salisbury and Francois Conti Stanford University. Federico Barbagli Stanford University and University of Siena, Italy M. Basdogan C., Srinivasan M.A. (2002). Haptic Rendering in Virtual Environments. In: K. 4Stanney (ed.), Handbook of Virtual Environments. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Robles-De-La-Torre G. "The Importance of the Sense of Touch in Virtual and Real Environments". IEEE Multimedia 13(3), Special issue on Haptic User Interfaces for Multimedia Systems, pp. 24-30. (2006). Hayward V, Astley OR, Cruz-Hernandez M, Grant D, Robles-De-LaTorre G. "Haptic Interfaces and Devices". Sensor Review 24(1), pp. 16-29 (2004). Robles-De-La-Torre G. "Principles of Haptic Perception in Virtual Environments". In Grunwald M (Ed.), "Human Haptic Perception", Birkhuser Verlag (2008).

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Fig.4 Haptics Rendering System

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C. System architecture for haptic rendering Haptic-rendering algorithms compute the correct interaction forces between the haptic interface representation inside the virtual environment and the virtual objects populating the environment. Haptic rendering algorithms ensure that the haptic device correctly renders such forces on the human operator. Several components compose typical haptic rendering algorithms. It has three main blocks 1) Collision detection algorithms: Collision-detection algorithms detect collisions between objects and avatars in the virtual environment and yield information about where, when, and ideally to what extent collisions have occurred. 2) Force-response algorithms: Force-response algorithms compute the interaction force between avatars and virtual objects when a collision is detected. This force approximates as closely as possible the contact forces that would normally arise during contact between real objects. Force-response algorithms typically operate on the avatars positions, the positions of all objects in the virtual environment, and the collision state between avatars and virtual objects. Their return values are normally force and torque vectors that are applied at the device-body interface. Hardware limitations prevent haptic devices from applying the exact force computed by the force-response algorithms to the user. 3) Control algorithms: Control algorithms command the haptic device in such a way that minimizes the error between ideal and applicable forces. The discrete-time nature of the haptic-rendering algorithms often makes this difficult; as we explain further later in the article. Desired force and torque

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