WorkShop on Multi-Finger Haptic Interaction

EuroHaptics 2012, Tampere, Finland

Gifu University

Hand Haptic Interface Incorporating Finger

Pad and Fingertip Force Display Devices
Haruhisa Kawasaki,
Takahiro Endo and
Tetuya Mouri
Gifu University
1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193
Japan

Vytautas Daniulaitis
UAB Aksonas
Europos pr. 121 -305
LT-46339 Kaunas
Lithuania
info@aksonas.lt

h_kawasa@gifu-u.ac.jp

Content

Gifu University

Introduction
Concept of Hand haptic interface
3D force display device at fingertip, HIRO III
1D force display device
Experiment of force discrimination
Experiment of passive touch
Conclusion

I. Introduction
Gifu University

Haptic interfaces that present force and tactile feeling to

the fingertips of human have been investigated extensively
over the last two decades. But, most of these can apply 3D
force only to the human fingertips.
Humans manipulate objects using force and tactile feeling
on the fingertips and the finger pads. For example, medical
doctors search for tumors during a breast palpation and
manipulate internal organs during surgery using their
fingertips and finger pads.

A hand haptic interface consisting of 1D finger pad force

display devices and a 3D fingertip haptic interface will be
useful for a virtual palpation training.

2. Hand Haptic Interface

(1) Design Concept

Gifu University

The density of tactile sensory organs in the human finger

is high in the fingertip and relatively low in the finger pad
(R. S. Johanson, etal.,1979).
We have proposed a hand haptic interface that applies 3D
force feeling to the finger tip and 1D force feeling to the
finger pad would be effective for palpation training in a
virtual reality environment (CASE 2010).
Middle phalanx

3D finger tip force

display device

Proximal phalanx
Head of metacarpal

1D finger pad force

display device

Fig. 1. Concept of proposed hand haptic interface

(2) Developed Hand Haptic Interface

Gifu University

HIRO II

Finger holder

3D orientationtracking sensor

Orientation
sensor

3D positiontracking sensor

(1) HIRO II

HIRO III

(2) HIRO III

Fig. 2. Hand haptic interface

The developed hand haptic interface consists of the

multi-fingered haptic interface robot HIRO II / III and
plural finger pad force display devices.
The pose of human finger is measured by orientation
sensor, 3D position tracking sensor and fingertip position
of HIRO II / III.

Gifu University

Haptic interface robot

HIRO III
Dr. Vytautas Daniulaitis

Multi-Finger Haptic Interaction, EuroHaptics 2012

Outline of the subsection

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Layout of HIRO III robot

Physically based VR modeling
HIRO III demo system

Multi-Finger Haptic Interaction, EuroHaptics 2012

Gifu Hand a predecessor of HIRO III

Gifu University

Multi-Finger Haptic Interaction, EuroHaptics 2012

HIRO III structure: an arm

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(deg)
First joint

110

Second joint

1250

Third joint

0145

Fourth joint

90

Fifth joint

90

Sixth joint

60

Multi-Finger Haptic Interaction, EuroHaptics 2012

HIRO III structure: a hand

Thumb
First joint
Second joint
Third joint

(deg)
36
3590
0112

Gifu University

Other fingers
First joint
Second joint
Third joint

(deg)
30
3090
0112

Multi-Finger Haptic Interaction, EuroHaptics 2012

HIRO III structure: a finger

Gifu University

Permanent magnet

Finger holder

Three-axis
force sensor

Third joint

First joint
Second joint

Multi-Finger Haptic Interaction, EuroHaptics 2012

General tendency

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Precision
(FE model complexity,
FE mesh density)
Simulation costs
(memory, time)

Multi-Finger Haptic Interaction, EuroHaptics 2012

Costs of the K{u}=F solution

Gifu University

Multi-Finger Haptic Interaction, EuroHaptics 2012

Force interpolation procedure

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Fingertip
path

Surface

Fingers
path

Force at discrete points

(blue)
Interpolated force
(red)
Total number of model nodes for simulation 261
Total number of surface polygons -2242

Multi-Finger Haptic Interaction, EuroHaptics 2012

HIRO III demo system and its

application area

Gifu University

Frame
AsusTeK
VG278H
monitor

Half mirror

HIRO III

Multi-Finger Haptic Interaction, EuroHaptics 2012

4. 1D Force Display Device

Gifu University

Previously developed haptic devices have

been problematic: Forces could not be applied to
two finger pads of a finger or the applied forces
were insufficient because of size limitations.
We developed a novel finger pad force display
device as shown in Fig. 4.
Specifications:
Actuator : Flat-type brushless motor
Reduction gears ratio: 3.67
Pitch of screw mechanism: 0.5 mm
Movable range of a nut: 4 mm
Mass: 4.8 g
Maximum output force: 2.6 N

Hook and loop fastener

Tactile
sensor
Body
(1) Photograph

Tactile sensor (FlexiForce by Nitta Co.)

Thickness: 0.203 mm
Diameter of sensing area: 9.5 mm
(2) Mechanical structure
Maximum measurable force: 4.4 N.
Fig. 4. Developed finger pad force display

5. Force Discrimination of Finger Pad

(1) Experimental setup

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Fig. 8. Experimental setup

Force discrimination of finger pads through a psychological test:
The ten subjects were male and right-handed.
The subjects finger pad was pushed by haptic fingers, which is used as an
encountered-type force display device.
The standard stimulus was 1 N. The comparison stimulus was one of 0.0 to
2.0 N with a step size of 0.1 N, and it was randomly presented to the finger
pads.
-

(2) Examples of experimental results

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(a) Middle phalanx

(b) Proximal phalanx

The difference thresholds of the

middle phalanx, proximal phalanx,
and head of the metacarpal of the
index finger were 0.36, 0.38, and
0.42 N, respectively.
These results are almost same to
that in the case of the encounteredtype force display.

(c) Head of metacarpal

Fig. 9. Ratio of answers with high

at one-point force display

6. Effect of Finger Pad Force Display

(1) Experimental Setup

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Contact point of middle

interphalangeal
Contact point of
finger tip

Fig. 10. Subjects index finger

attached three 1D force display
devices.
Four cases of layout are evaluated;
a) Middle phalange and proximal phalange
b) Middle phalange and metacarpal head
c) Proximal phalange and metacarpal head,
d) Middle phalange, proximal phalange, and
metacarpal head

Contact point of
proximal
interphalangeal

Contact point of
metacarpal head
Origin of the hand coordinate

Fig. 11. Rotating polyhedron

with 50 plates

(2) Psychological Evaluation

The subjects rated the four criteria on a five-point scale, in which 1
are lowest rating and 5 is highest rating:

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A) Weight feeling of
wearied devices
B) Feeling of botheration
at wearing devices
C) Feeling of ease use at
operating
D) Feeling of immersive
reality

a) Middle phalange and proximal phalange

b) Middle phalange and metacarpal head
c) Proximal phalange and metacarpal head,
d) Middle phalange, proximal phalange, and metacarpal head

Case b) is lowest for feeling of immersive reality, but it is highest for ease of
use.
Case d) is highest for feeling of immersive reality but lowest for ease of use.

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Conclusion
Gifu University

A hand haptic interface for use such as in a virtual palpation

training has been presented.
The hand haptic interface consists of novel finger pad force
display devices and a 3D fingertip haptic interface (HIRO II/ III).
The developed finger pad force display device is driven by a flattype brushless DC motor and can be attached at two or three points
on the finger pads.
Experiments of force discrimination show that the developed
finger pad force display does not reduce force sensation of human.
Questionnaire results revealed that the developed hand haptic
interface is useful in virtual object touch.
Future plan We are planning to extend the hand haptic interface to
display force feelings on the thumb and four fingers.

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