Console video game users have the sensation of feeling on-screen explosions and crashes when their handheld game controller shakes and rumbles. This form of haptics technology is making its way to the Web as developers create applications with “force feedback” to transmit a virtual sensation of touch over the Internet.
Haptics is bi-directional “touch” technology, and is known as “telehaptics” when it is used online. “Several different elements comprise haptics,” says Dr. Gabriel Robles-De-La-Torre, founder and organizer of the International Society for Haptics. “The first element is calibrated vibration, known as vibra-tactile technology. A second element is the movement of mechanical devices, and the ability to tie the sense of touch to it. A third element is kinesthesia, which is the ability to perceive how we move.”
Basically, a computer equipped with the appropriate haptic interface downloads the computer haptics software needed to render the haptic texture, and executes it locally. Online users will have the sensation of touching a soft or hard object, and the ability to feel the contour of particular shapes that appear on their computer screen. How far are we from widespread use of haptics on the Internet? Robles-De-La-Torre and other experts agree that large-scale haptics applications may be 10 years down the road.
There are “niche” areas where it is already starting to appear. For example, the Rokr E8, a quad-band GSM/GPRS phone from Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT), features a "full" HTML browser, and a unique haptics touchpad aimed at providing "tactile response" to virtual key presses. Bank kiosk technology works on a similar principle.
“When you touch a totally flat surface such as a cellphone or kiosk display, the surface senses that you’re touching it and emits a tactile vibration,” says Robles-De-La-Torre. “It gives you the impression that you are touching a real button on the flat panel.”Application possibilities for telehaptics in an online environment are limitless, and might one day include:
Online shopping -- cyber-shoppers will be able to feel the fabric of a suit, or the contour of a camera.
Manufacturing -- product models and prototypes for items like toys, traditionally constructed with clay, might be tactilely formed online in a collaborative environment.
Online gaming -- a virtual arm wrestling league uses geographically dispersed robotics that allows contestants from multiple locations to compete with each other.
Applications that help visually-impaired individuals overcome the challenges of navigating the Web by transmitting haptic information to alert them of links, images, and other Web page content that facilitates navigation.
“Some of the challenges we still face with telehaptics are in bandwidth and quality of service,” notes Robles-De-La-Torre. “Even if a surgeon is using remotely controlled robotics within an operating room, you cannot have lag, and forced feedback touch for the surgeon has not yet been tried.”
Still, haptic technologists must devise a standard protocol that easily enables haptic communications between many different people and devices. There is also work to be done on device standardization. But, it is not hard to envision a haptic Internet -- one that will make touch the next sensory dimension on the Web.
“It is not a big jump to realize,” says Dr. Robert Crawhall, president of the National Capital Institute of Telecommunications. “We believe services with a touch sensory component will have a high value to the industries that use them and the service providers who supply them."
The haptic internet is here today, a commercial reality with hundreds or products from dozens of competitors.Just go to Google and search for your preferred “erogenous zone” + “USB” and you will see how crowded the market is.Those who favor female anatomy will find 290,000 hits.Those who favor male members with USB interface, support a market with 438,000 hits.For off web use, these devices come with associated DvDs (the Genera is called PoVP for “Point of View Porn”).
Would I ever find myself designing a website in Autocad?
Would this lead to the rebirth of VRML* (or a greater interest in Canvas/SVG)? I already know the answer: Of course it would.
* Sorry, but I consider VRML dead and it's successor X3d in idle (no community interest).
Final thought: This would put the Wii to shame and could eradicate the need for a game/entertainment console altogether (only major concern would be bandwidth requirements).
Tactile empathy with football injuries would be one thing.
Also exciting is the possibility opf using haptics to infuse tactile capablities into persons who have damage to their nervous systems, or even paralysis.
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