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arXiv · 2410.05494

Tactile Displays Driven by Projected Light

Max Linnander·Dustin Goetz·Gregory Reardon·Vijay Kumar·Elliot Hawkes·Yon Visell
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Abstract

Tactile displays that lend tangible form to digital content could transform computing interactions. However, achieving the resolution, speed, and dynamic range needed for perceptual fidelity remains challenging. We present a tactile display that directly converts projected light into visible tactile patterns via a photomechanical surface populated with millimeter-scale optotactile pixels. The pixels transduce incident light into mechanical displacements through photostimulated thermal gas expansion, yielding millimeter scale displacements with response times of 2 to 100 milliseconds. Employing projected light for power transmission and addressing renders these displays highly scalable. We demonstrate optically driven displays with up to 1,511 addressable pixels -- several times more pixels than any prior tactile display attaining comparable performance. Perceptual studies confirm that these displays can reproduce diverse spatiotemporal tactile patterns with high fidelity. This research establishes a foundation for practical, versatile high-resolution tactile displays driven by light.

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Max Linnander, Dustin Goetz, Gregory Reardon, Vijay Kumar, Elliot Hawkes, Yon Visell. 2024-10-07. Tactile Displays Driven by Projected Light. https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.adv1383

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