Developing actuation mechanism for stick-slip based intelligent mobile displays

In line with our previous work, this research focuses on enhancing touchscreen based interaction through stick-slip phenomena. By balancing inertial and frictional forces on a transparent screen overlay, we can control the resulting directional forces specific to multiple objects on a touchscreen surface. Using “stick-slip” phenomenon, we can associate tangible objects in relation to their virtual environment and adjust their behavior in real time without any stiff mechanical linkages. Our previous research shows the possible advantages of such a system (Stick-Slip Kinesthetic Display Surface) for a wide range of applications, such as continuous supervised input as well as novel applications with cross-environment interaction, where real-world physical objects can interact with their virtual counterparts and vice versa. However, to ensure that the directional forces are sufficient for these and other types of applications to serve as the system output, the mechanical actuation mechanism needs to be specifically designed for the particular novel use case. This research utilizes an electromagnetic setup to develop custom designed linear actuator which can increase the efficiency of the stick-slip based system. Our testing shows that the custom actuator is stable and more efficient at generating directional forces in the smart kinesthetic display surfaces (SKDS) as compared to actuators designed for conventional vibrotactile feedback.