INTERACT

Integrated tactile surface actuator design

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'User interfaces that incorporate the sense of touch, or Haptic user interfaces, promise to revolutionize the way we interact with everyday devices in our environment. The iPhone has shown the world that well-design touch interaction can make breakthrough easy-of-use as well as a lot of revenue. However, current touch screens suffer from a lack of feedback, as the user can only operate the device while looking at it. The Interact project pursues a breakthrough haptic interface that solves this problem, by making programmable surface topology or shape; real ‘physical’ buttons that can appear on the user interface and optionally give force feedback when needed. This is made possible by applying state-of-the-art dielectric polymer actuators surfaces. The application of dielectric polymer actuators to user-interfaces is very novel, and the question of how to design an adaptive haptic user interface with these materials remains unanswered. The Interact project will address this issue using a new research methodology combining user-centered design approaches with finite element modelling and user-testing to come to a first-time-right design of the interface, which will subsequently be built & tested. The Interact project will give Marc Matysek, a talented researcher currently finishing his PhD at Darmstadt University in Germany, the opportunity to join Philips Research in the Netherlands for a 2 year fellowship. It will extend his already excellent competences on dielectric polymer actuators with experience in user-testing/perception, finite element modelling, application know-how and user-centric design. The business focus, application skills, as well as the intellectual property and project management experience that he will gain at Philips will facilitate his growth from an excellent researcher into a great innovator. After the Interact project, Marc Matysek will be a mobile innovator with a strong and relevant scientific background.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Scientists joined their expertise to work toward developing smart material systems (dielectric elastomers) for applications in the adaptive optics field.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

The initial objective of the 'Integrated tactile surface actuator design' (INTERACT) project was to design a novel haptic interface with the help of programmable topologies and shapes. Based on this, users should feel virtual objects rising out from interaction surfaces that are optionally providing force feedback. Haptics would be enabled by actuators that apply forces to the skin for touch feedback consisting of a dielectric elastomer.

Nevertheless, at the time INTERACT received EU funding, focus shifted from haptic interfaces to adaptive optics. Scientists were relocated to the Philips Research Optics Group. By combining a user-centred design approach, finite element modelling and expertise on dielectric elastomer actuators, INTERACT led to complete new applications in the adaptive optics field.

The project resulted in many publications, demonstrations and patent applications.