TeslaMirror: Multistimulus Encounter-Type Haptic Display for Shape and Texture Rendering in VR

We propose a novel concept of a hybrid tactile display with multistimulus feedback, allowing the real-time experience of the position, shape, and texture of the virtual object. TeslaMirror consists of a gross shape display based on 6 DOF robot, fine shape display based on the array of inverted five-bar linkage mechanisms, and texture display with electrotactile and vibrotactile devices. The proposed technology will deliver high fidelity shape and texture feedback to the user without any wearable haptic device, thus, it will allow the user to have intuitive and realistic haptic interaction in a large area with no limitation and disturbance of motion. The preliminary user study was conducted to evaluate the ability of TeslaMirror to reproduce shape perception with the under-actuated multi-contact display. The results revealed that potentially this approach can be used in the VR systems for rendering versatile virtual shapes with high fidelity haptic experience.