title: Wearable wireless tactile display for virtual interactions with soft bodies.
abstract: We describe here a wearable, wireless, compact, and lightweight tactile display, able to mechanically stimulate the fingertip of users, so as to simulate contact with soft bodies in virtual environments. The device was based on dielectric elastomer actuators, as high-performance electromechanically active polymers. The actuator was arranged at the user's fingertip, integrated within a plastic case, which also hosted a compact high-voltage circuitry. A custom-made wireless control unit was arranged on the forearm and connected to the display via low-voltage leads. We present the structure of the device and a characterization of it, in terms of electromechanical response and stress relaxation. Furthermore, we present results of a psychophysical test aimed at assessing the ability of the system to generate different levels of force that can be perceived by users.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Material Science, Queen Mary University of London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frediani
authors.affiliation: Research Center "E. Piaggio", University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mazzei
authors.affiliation: Research Center "E. Piaggio", University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Danilo Emilio
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: De Rossi
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Material Science, Queen Mary University of London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carpi
keywords: actuator; dielectric elastomer; display; electroactive polymer; soft; tactile; virtual; wearable