Haptic Zoom: An Interaction Model for Desktop Haptic Devices with Limited Workspace

Abstract

Haptic devices can be used to feel through the sense of touch what the user is watching in a virtual scene. Force feedback devices provide kinesthetic information enabling the user to touch virtual objects. However, the most reasonably priced devices of this type are the desktop ones, which have a limited workspace that does not allow a natural and convenient interaction with virtual scenes due to the difference in size between them and the workspace. In this paper, a brand-new interaction model addressing this problem is proposed. It is called Haptic Zoom and it is based on performing visual and haptic amplifications of regions of interest. These amplifications allow the user to decide whether s/he wants more freedom in movements or an accurate interaction with a specific element inside the scene. An evaluation has been carried out comparing this technique and two well-known desktop haptic device techniques. Preliminary results showed that haptic zoom can be more useful than other techniques at accuracy tasks.

Acknowledgments

A. G. acknowledges a FPU fellowship provided by the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte of Spain. The authors would also like to thank all experts who participated the evaluation for their time.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexis Gutiérrez-Fernández

Alexis Gutiérrez-Fernández received his Computer Science Degree in 2016 and his Computer Science Master in 2018. He is now working on his PhD thesis seeking to merge the senses of sight and touch in the same virtual reality experiences through the use of virtual reality head-mounted displays and haptic interfaces.

Camino Fernández-Llamas

Camino Fernández-Llamas has extensive experience in Computer Science and has coordinated and participated in more than twenty European and national research projects in her twenty-three years of experience after getting a degree in Computer Science, a Master’s degree in Knowledge Engineering and a PhD from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.

Gonzalo Esteban

Gonzalo Esteban received a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Science (2009), a Master’s degree in Cybernetic Research (2011) and a PhD degree (2020) from the University of León, Spain. Since 2017, he has been working as a Research Assistant and his research interests include computer haptics and cybersecurity.

Miguel Á. Conde

Miguel Á. Conde received his MSc (2008) and PhD (2012) from the University of Salamanca (Spain). From 2010 to 2012 he researched at the University of Salamanca and also worked there as a lecturer. Presently he works as an assistant professor at the University of León, which he joined in 2013.