Lead-Me Interface for a Pulling Sensation from Hand-held Devices

When a small mass in a hand-held device oscillates along a single axis with asymmetric acceleration (strongly peaked in one direction and diffuse in the other), the holder typically experiences a kinesthetic illusion characterized by the sensation of being continuously pushed or pulled by the device. This effect was investigated because of its potential application to a hand-held, nongrounded, haptic device that can convey a sense of a continuous translational force in one direction, which is a key missing piece in haptic research. A 1 degree-of-freedom (DOF) haptic device based on a crank-slider mechanism was constructed. The device converts the constant rotation of an electric motor into the constrained movement of a small mass with asymmetric acceleration. The frequency that maximizes the perceived movement offered by the haptic device was investigated. Tests using three subjects showed that for the prototype, the best frequencies were 5 and 10 cycles per second.