A research team is working to better define how the finger interacts with a device to create technology that goes beyond sensing and reacting to touch - they want the ability to mimic the feeling of physical objects.

Like virtual shopping experience that would let the user feel the texture of materials before purchasing them. And that's actually better for us in many ways.

At its essence, the “touch” in current touch screen technology is more for the screen’s benefit than the user. With the emergence and refinement of increasingly sophisticated haptic technology, that relationship between user and device can be more reciprocal, a sensory input would ultimately enrich virtual environments and lighten the burden of communication currently carried by audio and visuals.


Image courtesy of Prof. Hipwell

“When we look at virtual experiences, they’re primarily audio and visual right now and we can get audio and visual overload,” says Texas A&M University Professor Cynthia Hipwell. “Being able to bring touch into the human-machine interface can bring a lot more capability, much more realism, and it can reduce that overload. Haptic effects can be used to draw your attention to make something easier to find or easier to do using a lower cognitive load.

“When we look at virtual experiences, they’re primarily audio and visual right now and we can get audio and visual overload. Being able to bring touch into the human-machine interface can bring a lot more capability, much more realism, and it can reduce that overload. Haptic effects can be used to draw your attention to make something easier to find or easier to do using a lower cognitive load.”

Hipwell and her team are approaching the research by looking at the multiphysics — the coupled processes or systems involving multiple physical fields occurring at the same time — of the interface between the user’s finger and the device. This interface is incredibly complex and changes with different users and environmental conditions.

“We’re looking at electro-wetting effects (the forces that result from an applied electric field), electrostatic effects, changes in properties of the finger, the material properties and surface geometry of the device, the contact mechanics, the fluid motion, charge transport — really, everything that’s going on in the interface to understand how the device can be designed to be more reliable and higher performing,” Hipwell said. “Ultimately, our goal is to create predictive models than enable a designer to create devices with maximum haptic effect and minimum sensitivity to user and environmental variation.”

As research into and development of the technology continues to progress, Hipwell said she predicts consumers will begin to see early elements implemented into common devices over the next few years, with some early products already in development.