TRENDS
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a less expensive, immersive 3D automobile
design process involving next-generation
haptic gloves that let designers experience a
new car model in virtual reality.
At present, automakers use CAD
(computer-aided design) software in the early
phases of design and then ship physical clay
and wood mock-ups across the world for
other designers to evaluate—an expensive
and time-consuming process.
“Today, a designer pretends to press
a button, but has no idea if it’s in an
ergonomically correct position,” says Rubin. “A
simple thing like wanting a button in a slightly
different spot on the dashboard can eat up
weeks of time.”
Inside the virtual car mock-up, a designer
could operate different instruments like the
steering wheel and navigation system, with
the respective physical sensations being
transmitted by the haptic gloves.
“Wearing the gloves, they can feel the
buttons they press in collaboration with other
designers across the world, allowing them [to
share] their experiences in real time, making
needed changes using the CAD software,” he
explains.
Another market is robotics. HaptX has
created a tactile telerobot that lets a glovewearing
user feel through force feedback
what the robot touches, thereby guiding the
machine’s movements. The robot can be
anywhere in the world, allowing for remote
operations in a manufacturing, medical, or
industrial hygiene context.
“We’re looking at applications like a surgeon
wearing the gloves running through a procedure
on a patient that is performed by a robot, or a
mechanic operating the controls of a bot that
does maintenance on a machine,” Rubin says.
“ We’re looking at applications
like a surgeon wearing the
gloves running through a
procedure on a patient that
is performed by a robot, or
a mechanic operating the
controls of a bot that does
maintenance on a machine.”
—Jake Rubin, founder and CEO, HaptX
These are just one developer’s innovative
haptic concepts. Here’s a look at three
other haptic technology pioneers that are
developing the next generation of touch for
application across industries.
LOFELT: PUTTING TOUCH
INTO TOUCHSCREENS
Smartphones are among the many products
that already incorporate haptics. While the
vibrations produced when a phone call is
coming in aren’t jaw-dropping, Lofelt is aiming
to change the status quo. The 6-year-old
Berlin-based haptics company has developed
haptic technology that provides users with
more realistic experiences on their favorite
digital devices.
“Our goal was to develop vibrations that
captured the physical textures associated with
traditional sounds—a foot crunching through
snow, for example,” says Lofelt co-founder and
CEO Daniel Büttner. “Each sound produces a
different vibration in the physical world. We
can recreate that physical experience when
touching the screen.”