Piezoelectric flexible haptic interface development

This paper presents a Finite Element Model (FEM) study and the design of a flexible haptic surface in order to produce texture rendering on a large conformable area. For this purpose, haptic pixels vibrating at ultrasonic frequencies are actuated by piezoelectric elements and embedded on a flexible matrix. The design leads to square glass plates of 10 x 10 mm
²
with a thickness of 500 µm, actuated by PZT ceramics with a thickness of 200 µm and a radius of 2.5 mm, bonded on a 100 µm thick PEEK film. Electromechanical characterizations validate the design and open the way to the realization of a flexible haptic interface able to promote haptics effects with the friction modulation principle.