Vib-Touch: Virtual Active Touch interface for handheld devices

Haptic interaction with handheld devices is limited by space and size constraints that inhibit free hand exploration. We developed a compact haptic interface called Vib-Touch, which is operated by fingertip via a pointing-stick input device containing a tactile feedback. A cursor on the screen could perform virtual exploration as a substitute for the finger movement. We call this technology virtual active touch. We also propose a tactile stimulation method to represent not only tactile sensations, but the whole touch experience, including kinesthetic senses and a sense of shapes perceived by a fingertip. This study reports on the first prototype of the vib-touch interface for handheld devices. We confirmed that the prototype could provide friction sensation and geometric shape information using the proposed friction display method.