Skin-integrated Haptic Interfaces enabled by Scalable Mechanical Actuators for Virtual Reality

Yiming Liu; Chun Ki Yiu; Zhao Zhao; Shiyuan Liu; Xingcan Huang; Wooyoung Park; Jingyou Su; Jingkun Zhou; Tsz Hung Wong; Kuanming Yao; Ling Zhao; Ya Huang; Jiyu Li; Pu Fan; Binbin Zhang; Yuan Dai; Zhengbao Yang; Yuhang Li; Xinge Yu

doi:10.1109/JIOT.2022.3203417

Skin-integrated Haptic Interfaces enabled by Scalable Mechanical Actuators for Virtual Reality

Yiming Liu (Co-first Author), Chun Ki Yiu (Co-first Author), Zhao Zhao (Co-first Author), Shiyuan Liu (Co-first Author), Xingcan Huang (Co-first Author), Wooyoung Park, Jingyou Su, Jingkun Zhou, Tsz Hung Wong, Kuanming Yao, Ling Zhao, Ya Huang, Jiyu Li, Pu Fan, Binbin Zhang, Yuan Dai, Zhengbao Yang^*, Yuhang Li, Xinge Yu

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

191 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

The very recent concept of metaverse highlights the importance of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), which associates with a wide variety of applications in entertainment, medical treatment, and human–machine interfaces. The current VR/AR technologies mainly rely on visual interaction, while immersive experience in VR and AR highly demands sensational feedback, such as haptic and temperature with noticeable quality in wearable or even skin-integrated formarts. In this article, we report a wearable and flexible haptic interface based on electromagnetic vibrotactile actuators with high wearability and stability. By adopting double layers of copper (Cu) coils at the top and bottom of the magnetic disc, an enhanced electromagnetic field can be generated. Additionally, the intensity of the haptic feedback can be modulated according to sensed pressure in the virtual world by adjusting the value of power input and frequency. The actuator exhibits high stability and tolerance upon environmental, cyclic, and impact resistance tests. Finally, the actuators are developed into the soft VR interfaces for mounting on forearms, fingers, and hands to verify their superiority over conventional haptic actuators in the aspects of performance and applications. © 2022 IEEE. Personal use is permitted, but republication/redistribution requires IEEE permission.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	653-663
Journal	IEEE Internet of Things Journal
Volume	10
Issue number	1
Online published	1 Sept 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/JIOT.2022.3203417
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2023

Funding

This work was supported by City University of Hong Kong (Grants No. 9667221, 9680322), Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Grant No. 21210820, 11213721), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 62122002), Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission (Grant No. JCYJ20200109110201713), and Tencent Robotics X (Grant No. 9231409). This work is also sponsored by Center of Flexible Electronics Technology, and Qiantang Science  Technology Innovation Center. Y.L. acknowledges the support from the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province of China (No. LY21A020001), and Ningbo Scientific and Technological Innovation 2025 Major Project (No. 2021Z108).

Research Keywords

actuators
Biomedical monitoring
Coils
electronic skin
Haptic feedback
Haptic interfaces
harsh electronics
Skin
Urban areas
Vibrations
VR
virtual reality (VR)

Publisher's Copyright Statement

COPYRIGHT TERMS OF DEPOSITED POSTPRINT FILE: © 2022 IEEE. Personal use is permitted, but republication/redistribution requires IEEE permission. See https://www.ieee.org/publications/rights/index.html for more information. Liu, Y., Yiu, C. K., Zhao, Z., Liu, S., Huang, X., Park, W., Su, J., Zhou, J., Wong, T. H., Yao, K., Zhao, L., Huang, Y., Li, J., Fan, P., Zhang, B., Dai, Y., Yang, Z., Li, Y., & Yu, X. (2023). Skin-integrated Haptic Interfaces enabled by Scalable Mechanical Actuators for Virtual Reality. IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 10(1), 653-663. https://doi.org/10.1109/JIOT.2022.3203417.

RGC Funding Information

RGC-funded

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10.1109/JIOT.2022.3203417

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Liu, Y., Yiu, C. K., Zhao, Z., Liu, S., Huang, X., Park, W., Su, J., Zhou, J., Wong, T. H., Yao, K., Zhao, L., Huang, Y., Li, J., Fan, P., Zhang, B., Dai, Y., Yang, Z., Li, Y., & Yu, X. (2023). Skin-integrated Haptic Interfaces enabled by Scalable Mechanical Actuators for Virtual Reality. IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 10(1), 653-663. https://doi.org/10.1109/JIOT.2022.3203417

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abstract = "The very recent concept of metaverse highlights the importance of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), which associates with a wide variety of applications in entertainment, medical treatment, and human–machine interfaces. The current VR/AR technologies mainly rely on visual interaction, while immersive experience in VR and AR highly demands sensational feedback, such as haptic and temperature with noticeable quality in wearable or even skin-integrated formarts. In this article, we report a wearable and flexible haptic interface based on electromagnetic vibrotactile actuators with high wearability and stability. By adopting double layers of copper (Cu) coils at the top and bottom of the magnetic disc, an enhanced electromagnetic field can be generated. Additionally, the intensity of the haptic feedback can be modulated according to sensed pressure in the virtual world by adjusting the value of power input and frequency. The actuator exhibits high stability and tolerance upon environmental, cyclic, and impact resistance tests. Finally, the actuators are developed into the soft VR interfaces for mounting on forearms, fingers, and hands to verify their superiority over conventional haptic actuators in the aspects of performance and applications. {\textcopyright} 2022 IEEE. Personal use is permitted, but republication/redistribution requires IEEE permission.",

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Skin-integrated Haptic Interfaces enabled by Scalable Mechanical Actuators for Virtual Reality. / Liu, Yiming (Co-first Author); Yiu, Chun Ki (Co-first Author); Zhao, Zhao (Co-first Author) et al.
In: IEEE Internet of Things Journal, Vol. 10, No. 1, 01.01.2023, p. 653-663.

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

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AU - Liu, Yiming

AU - Yiu, Chun Ki

AU - Zhao, Zhao

AU - Liu, Shiyuan

AU - Huang, Xingcan

AU - Park, Wooyoung

AU - Su, Jingyou

AU - Zhou, Jingkun

AU - Wong, Tsz Hung

AU - Yao, Kuanming

AU - Zhao, Ling

AU - Huang, Ya

AU - Li, Jiyu

AU - Fan, Pu

AU - Zhang, Binbin

AU - Dai, Yuan

AU - Yang, Zhengbao

AU - Li, Yuhang

AU - Yu, Xinge

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JO - IEEE Internet of Things Journal

JF - IEEE Internet of Things Journal

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ER -

Skin-integrated Haptic Interfaces enabled by Scalable Mechanical Actuators for Virtual Reality

Abstract

Funding

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

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Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

Fingerprint

ITF: Electronic Skin and Haptic Interfaces for Intelligent Prosthesis

GRF: Intelligent Electronic Skin for Human Machine Interactions

ECS: Skin-Integrated Sensing and Haptic Feedback Electronics for Health Monitoring and Sudden Illnesses Early Warning

Cite this

Skin-integrated Haptic Interfaces enabled by Scalable Mechanical Actuators for Virtual Reality

Abstract

Funding

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

Fingerprint

Projects

ITF: Electronic Skin and Haptic Interfaces for Intelligent Prosthesis

GRF: Intelligent Electronic Skin for Human Machine Interactions

ECS: Skin-Integrated Sensing and Haptic Feedback Electronics for Health Monitoring and Sudden Illnesses Early Warning

Cite this