Maeda et al., Demonstrating Waylet: Untethered Pseudo-Force Haptic Device..., Haptics Symposium 2024
Channel: IEEE Haptics Symposium
Date: 2024-04-05

Haptics Symposium 2024
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https://www.hapticssymposium.org/
Multidimensional pseudo-force haptic devices elicited by asymmetric vibrations have been introduced for intuitive directional haptic cues, such as navigation and guidance. However, a pseudo-force sensation for pedestrian navigation has not been well validated in actual walking situations. As elucidated in a comprehensive review by Kappers et al. [1], the majority of haptic navigation investigations assessed the capacity for haptic directive recognition or perceptual attributes instead of concentrating on actual walking navigation. This limitation is predominantly because of the reliance of devices on sizable actuators and external power reservoirs. In fact, several lines of study [2], [3], [4] have achieved multidimensional pseudo-force sensations; however, these methods incorporate large actuators or rely on an external apparatus for power supply and control. This presents a significant challenge, particularly in scenarios that permit unrestrained user mobility. Here, we developed an untethered pseudo-force haptic device called Waylet for pedestrian navigation (Fig. 1). Our device controls the direction of a pseudo-force sensation by delivering asymmetric vibrations to the fingertips using a pair of vibrotactile actuators. Compared with previous devices [3], [4], our device is characterized by being pocketsized, untethered, and having an all-in-one package.