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touchscreens can use programmed
interference patterns between
several tiny vibrators around the
edge of the glass display to produce
haptic feedback at the fingertips and
simulate different surface textures.
Many new consumer products
now feature haptic feedback - for
example, major smart phonemakers
are now implementing vibrational
haptic feedback in some of their
latest models - generating a great
deal of interest for numerous other
applications worldwide. A number
of standard APIs (Application
Programming Interfaces) are now
available for research in the field
of haptics, and several of these
are being used to produce tactile
sensations in simulations and
training for remote and keyhole
surgery such as laparoscopy and
other medical applications.
Although tactile feedback provides
a much more complete user
experience - it closes the loop to
provide helpful non-visual cues -
almost all these approaches are
limited by the need to be in physical
contact with the haptic system.
Therefore, they cannot be used in
applications based on touchless
gesture recognition at a distance.
Evaluation Kit
Providing touchless haptic feedback
has been impossible until very
recently. Ultrahaptics has developed
a range of focussed ultrasound
techniques to augment recognition
and control systems for hand
gestures with touchless or mid-air
haptic feedback. The company’s
haptics evaluation kit – the only
solution for touchless gesture
recognition on the market today –
includes a ‘leap motion’ camera and
gesture recognition system and is
allowing developers to experiment
andgeneratenovel haptic sensations
in touchless gesture control
interfaces for a range of devices
including computers, consumer
electronics, domestic appliances
and automotive dashboards.
Summary
Recognising human gestures and
using them to control computers
and equipment is well proven
given the existing market of
billions of smart consumer device
and other electronic equipment.
The advantages of not touching
equipment are valuable, if not
vital, in many use cases. Touchless
gesture recognition has therefore
become a well-established market
sector and an area of academic and
intense commercial research by
major global corporations.
There is little doubt that many
challenges still remain in perfecting
the user experience, including
maximizing the range and field
of view, and particularly in the
accuracy of detection – not only
of position and movement – but
perhaps more importantly in the
correct understanding of a user’s
intention. In addition to incremental
improvements from enhanced
software algorithms, plus more
accurate lower-cost and lower-
power camera and sensor hardware,
tactile feedback adds another
new dimension to the accuracy of
touchless gesture recognition in
interpreting a user’s commands and
confirming the correct action.
1. Global Industry Analysts Inc. –
Gesture Recognition, June 2015
2. Markets and Markets – Gesture
Recognition & Touchless Sensing
Market, June 2015
Vicky Messer, Technical
Marketing Manager
Ultrahaptics
Sensors
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New-Tech Magazine Europe l 63