GelTouch: Localized Tactile Feedback Through Thin, Programmable Gel
We present GelTouch, a gel-based layer that can selectively transition between soft and stiff to provide tactile multi-touch feedback. It is flexible, transparent when not activated, and contains no mechanical, electromagnetic, or hydraulic components, resulting in a compact form factor (a 2mm thin touchscreen layer for our prototype). The activated areas can be morphed freely and continuously, without being limited to fixed, predefined shapes. GelTouch consists of a poly N-isopropylacrylamide gel layer which alters its viscoelasticity when activated by applying heat (above 32°C). We present three different activation techniques: 1) Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) as a heating element that enables tactile feedback through individually addressable taxels; 2) predefined tactile areas of engraved ITO, that can be layered and combined; 3) complex arrangements of resistance wire that create thin tactile edges. We present a tablet with 6x4 tactile areas, enabling a tactile numpad, slider, and thumbstick. We show that the gel is up to 25 times stiffer when activated and that users detect tactile features reliably (94.8%).
to appear at UIST 2015 (http://uist.acm.org/uist2015)
Authors:
Viktor Miruchna, Robert Walter, David Lindlbauer, Maren Lehmann, Regine von Klitzing, Jörg Müller
http://www.davidlindlbauer.com/
http://www.joergmueller.info/
http://www.rwalter.de/