Object Identification Using Augmented Reality With Haptic Feedback

We propose a novel Augmented Reality (AR) Head Mounted Display (HMD) haptic-enabled device which is capable of providing visual and vibrotactile directional cues to locate objects of interest. Using the vibrotactile cues, the device communicates prioritization information to users without the need for additional graphics. This work builds upon a human-robot teaming AR application, AugRE, which provides both situational awareness and control interfaces for any number of ROS-enabled robotic systems. The vibrotactile haptic component developed attaches to the AR-HMD and uses a sequence of vibrations to direct the user to specific objects in their proximity. The visual haptic component does the same by overlaying a holographic arrow on the HMD. We present results from a pilot study and discuss system limitations and research areas that may help direct future development for human-robot teaming applications. Results indicate that visual haptic cues provide the best response times. However, high-frequency vibrotactile haptic cues may be a viable alternative for some tasks where the visual space is already saturated.