1. Integrated Haptic Device for VR/AR Applications 

• Collaboration results with KRISS and KOREATECH

The developed miniature integrated haptic device consists of a cutaneous, a thermal and a kinesthetic module. To convey realistic tactile sensations in compact size, the cutaneous module is designed to include a 3 × 3 miniature pin-array display and an amplitude-modulated vibration generator. To further convey the temperature and thermophysical properties of an object, the thermal module including a peltier element and a cooling jacket is integrated to the cutaneous module. To simultaneously provide kinesthetic information, two kinaesthetic actuators operated by MR fluids are located on the control circuit board while supporting the cutaneous and thermal modules. 

2. Advanced Electromechanical Haptic Actuators

We have made various attempts to develop advanced electromechanical haptic actuators by adding new design techniques to the traditional electromagnet actuation method, and have established design/manufacturing/evaluation techniques.

• Small Pin-Array Tactile Module  using Voice Coil Mechanism

• Impact Vibration Actuator with fast response by adopting unstable structure for mobile device application

• Miniature kinesthetic Actuator by adopting stiffness variable smart fluid such as Magnetorheological/Electrorheological fluid 

Impact Vibration Actuator for Mobile Devices

• 제 17회 삼성휴먼테크논문대상 금상 수상 (humantech.samsung.com)

• The most important thing in haptic interaction with mobile devices is to create vibrotactile sensation with wide frequency range. However, it is not easy to generate vibrotactile signal with wide frequency range with conventional vibrotactile actuators. Therefore, this paper presents a miniature impact type actuator, which has wide enough frequency range to selectively stimulate mechanoreceptors, consisting of a mass, an elastic spring, a housing, and a solenoid. To create strong impact force in wide frequency range in real-time, we adopt an unstable structure. Due to the impact with fast rising and falling time in the proposed vibration actuator, strong impact vibration can be created over wide frequency range. 

Miniature MR Damper for VR/AR Applications

• 제 18회 삼성휴먼테크논문대상 금상 수상 (humantech.samsung.com)

• Haptic units in small consumer electronic products (such as hand-held devices) require miniaturization of tactile and kinesthetic modules. However, it is quite challenging, particularly minimizing the size of kinesthetic actuators. Thus, this study investigates a miniature haptic button actuated by magnetorheological (MR) fluids with an aim to convey kinesthetic information or realistic button sensations to users in small electronic devices. To this end, a prototype haptic button was designed and constructed. The design focus was to maximize the resistive force generated by the fluids in a given size by using multiple operating modes of MR fluids.