Haptic Technologies

Haptic refers to the sense, and more specifically (for UIs) to detection and manipulation by touch.

Haptics is an emerging interdisciplinary field of study to better understand the sensory and motor system of the human, and to develop better computer systems controlled by humans and interacting with them through touch and sensory feedback.

Why use haptic technologies?

The tactile signals (cutaneous) include:

• textures, vibrations and bumps

Kinesthetic signals include:

• those such as the weight of a stone and the impact of hitting the tennis ball.

Haptic feedback in UIs

• can be used as an additional mechanism for the development of human-machine communication
• apply vibrations and forces to a person's body
  • use actuators built into their clothes
  • or using a device they carry
• used to simulate the sense of touch

Aerial Gestures

• uses sensor, camera and radar based techniques
  • can recognize people's body, arm and hand gestures in a room

gesture recognition can:

• be mapped to commands
• be used in gaming applications
• be used in art
• be used in medical applications

Applications:

• use of gesture recognition in rehabilitation
• xray analysis platform
• instrument control in a car

Other futuristic technologies

• wearable devices
• electronic tattoos
• connected clothing
• eye tracking
• speech recognition
• brain-machine interaction

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

Examples of Augmented Reality:

• help for car driving
• tourism/transport
• pokemon go
• assembly/repair

Virtual Reality is computer generated graphical simulation providing:

• the illusion of participation in a synthetic environment rather than the external observation of such an environment
• uses a head mounted display

examples:

• training of doctors

Comparison

Similarity:

• both use computer generated virtual data

Difference:

• augmented reality:
  • real world + virtual world
  • reality is improved (extended)
• virtual:
  • 3D computer generated environment
  • entirely created, nothing comes from the real world