Haptic Mouse

Other Unique Engineering Ideas

SPIDAR and Phantom for instances are such pointing devices where users have the ability not only to control a pointer but to perceive some aspect of physical reactions that may occurs between the pointer and its environment. However, most haptic devices require a large space relatively to non-haptic pointing devices such as mice.

1. Description

2. Why

3. How

4. Future Trends

5. Related Link

Description

Since the introduction of mice by Alain –Xerox in 1967 a wide variety of pointing devices have been designed to allow users to perform their required tasks in as much less time and as accurate as possible. Over the evolution of computer and related technologies optional feature have been added to certain pointing devices such as 3D spatial pointing, haptics and others. One feature of interest to our group is the display of force feedback sensation.Moreover haptic devices are not well fit to support users in office application. Wangman mice was a good interface that succeeded to combine both pointing and haptic feature within the same device but its haptic ability is too limited to physical contact feature. It can’t for instance display the weight of an object, or allows 3D manipulation.

Why 

Can be used as ordinary mice as well as a 3D haptic interface in the same time. The system can be used as simple mice, 2D haptic mouse, or as a 3D haptic interface that can display various aspects of force feedback sensation related to weight, contact and inertia.The failure to integrate the traditional feature of mice into newly designed haptic pointing devices encumbered user’s working environment. Ideally, a haptic pointing device would be able to display various feature necessary to control 2D and 3D visual interaction with computers.Adopting such approach in a simple and compact way will capture and encourage ordinary people to use haptic devices extending therefore the contribution of such devices to wider usage.    

How 

A new haptic mouse system is designed by adding force feedback capability to the conventional mouse. Virtual environment, for examples, icons and menu bar of the windows system can be felt through the touch senses. Also, this device can be used as an interface for the Internet shopping mall, from which people currently obtain information regarding goods solely based on visual channel.Hardware of the proposed haptic mouse system can be divided into two part.

  • The first part is to provide 2D of translation force feedback.

  • Force feedback sensation are created through a set of 4 strings attached to the corner of an ordinary mouse.

  • Strings can be attached or removed depending on the application.

  • Once the mouse is stringed force feedback can be displayed.

Five bar mechanism is adapted for this purpose with the ground link length to be zero. Total footprint of the haptic mouse is about size of A4 paper, which is small enough to be used on the desk. The workspace of the five bar linkage is mapped one-to-one to each pixel of the computer screen.Wire-driven mechanism is used to provide back-drivability as well as to eradicate problems aroused from backlash. Tensioning mechanism composed of a bolt and nut pair is used to prevent the wire from slipping with the pulley.

  • The second part is to provide grabbing force feedback.

  • Pulley is attached to the axis of the DC motor which provide actuating force to the bar tangent on the pulley.

  • Users feel the grabbing force bt pressing the finger pad on each sides of the mouse.

Wire-driven mechanism is used and tensioning mechanism is incorporated. Linear motion of the finger pads are guaranteed by the ball bush bearings.

Future Trends

Major drawback of current internet shopping mall is that we cannot actually touch goods. So the consumers have to depend only on the visual information pf goods. If haptic information such as surface texture and weight is additionally provided, the consumers can make a better judgement, for example, on how compliant the shoe are and how soft the sweater is.In reality, e-commerce with haptic information can be partly realized.

Keywords

Haptic mouse, Logitech, 3D spatial pointing, Wangman.

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