• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.59-63
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• 2012

In various industries, tactile recognition has been one of the important ways in displaying information because peoples like to touch and feel. Especially, how much the tactile information is efficiently recognizable is crucial for visually impaired persons in their daily lifes. However, existing design guidelines are insufficient to lead good tactile recognition. In this study, an experiment was performed to investigate proper tactile shapes (relievo / intaglio vs. filled / unfilled), sizes and depths for efficient tactile recognition. Moreover, this study scrutinized whether the recognition speed or error was varied depending on the type of displayed symbols (open vs. closed types) in tactile. The experimental results revealed that the 'relieve-filled' shape type was more rapidly recognizable than the other shapes, and the 'closed' type symbols (e.g., ${\square }$. ${\bigcirc}$) were more robustly recognizable than the 'open' type symbols (e.g, +, ^). Several design guidelines were presented based on the results. These guidelines can be applied to the design of tactile buttons in the devices that users should control them without visual attention, such as car steering wheels or MP3 players.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea CI
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2011

In this paper, we propose a haptic display system that can convert Braille and tactual map(braille map) to tactile information recognizable through sense of touch almost in real-time. The proposed system consists of a haptic display hardware device, which actually delivers tactile signal to visually impaired people, and a device control software program, which converts Braille and tactile information to tactile signal and transfers it to the hardware device. Experimental evaluations of the proposed system were performed with 10 visually impaired persons. Experimental results show that the proposed system can provide similar Braille recognition rate and speed to those of existing Braille information devices. In addition, the proposed system converts tactile information to tactile signal under maximum 1.1 seconds, so that it can provide graphic information in almost real-time which is not possible with existing tactile devices, such as Braille printer.

• Journal of the HCI Society of Korea
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2006

This paper presents a development of new haptic API (Application Programming Interface) that is called K-$Touch^{TM}$ haptic API. It is designed in order to allow users to interact with objects by kinesthetic and tactile modalities through haptic interfaces. The K-$Touch^{TM}$ API would serve two different types of users: high level programmers who need an easy to use haptic API for creating haptic applications and researchers in the haptic filed who need to experiment or develop with new devices and new algorithms while not wanting to re-write all the required code from scratch. Since the graphic hardware based kinesthetic rendering algorithm implemented in the K-$Touch^{TM}$ API is different from any other conventional kinesthetic algorithms, this API can provide users with haptic interaction for various data representations such as 2D, 2.5D depth(height field), 3D polygon, and volume data. In addition, this API supports kinesthetic and tactile interaction simultaneously in order to allow users with realistic haptic interaction. With a wide range of applicative characteristics, therefore, it is expected that the proposed K-$Touch^{TM}$ haptic API will assists to have deeper recognition of the environments, and enhance a sense of immersion in environments. Moreover, it will be useful development toolkit to investigate new devices and algorithms in the haptic research field.

• Journal of KIISE:Computer Systems and Theory
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.216-222
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• 2006

Vector field has been commonly used to visualize the data set which is invisible or is hard to explain. For instance, it could be used to visualize scientific data such as the direction and amount of wind and water field, transfer of heat through thermally conductive materials, and electromagnetic field. In this paper, we present a technique to enable intuitive recognition of the data though haptic feedback along with visual feedback. To add tactile information to graphical vector field, we model a haptic vector field and then apply it to the haptic map to guide a user to destination and haptic simulation of water field on 2D images whish can be used ill everyday life. These systems allow one to recognize vector information intuitively through haptic interface. We expect that the haptic rendering technique of vector field can be applied to various applications such as education, training, and entertainment.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

In this study, the effect of the automotive haptic-seat technology which can transmit the driving information by the vibro-stimulus from the seat was investigated to overcome previous system's limitation relied on the visual and audial method and to help handicap driving. A prototype haptic seat covers with 30 coin-type motors and driver module were developed for this sake. A driving simulator on the 6-DOF motion-base was used for driving situation and we executed the seat vibro-stimulus test with 10 young participants who have normal tactile sense. The haptic recognition ratio by 30 locations was measured and analyzed in the result. The intensity of vibro-stimulus was adjusted by input voltage of motors (1.5V,2.5V,3.5V). All vibro-stimulus locations at 2.5V and 3.5V could be recognized by all participants and even in the lowest recognition ratio of 1.5V. The results showed that the seat vibration stimulus could be useful to transfer the drivers' information while driving.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.151-160
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• 2014

In this study, the effect of the automotive haptic-seat technology which can transmit the driving information by the vibro-stimulus from the seat was investigated to overcome previous system's limitation relied on the visual and audial method and to help handicap driving. A prototype haptic seat cover with 30 coin-type motors and driver module were developed for this sake. In an experiment of seat vibration stimulation being performed under virtual driving situation by targeting the elderly aged over 65 years old, average score of test subjects for total vibration recognition was 3.5/4 points and recognition rate of 87.5% was represented. In addition, a result that all the test subjects totally recognized overspeed warning signal of 4 times was represented. As a result of statistical analysis for vibration recognition score by each group depending on TMT score, a significant difference was not found and a result that tactile function of which vibration is recognized even by the aged whose visual, perceptional function is declined showed an equal ability was obtained.. In this study it was shown that the seat vibration stimulus could be used to transfer the old drivers' information while driving.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.467-475
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• 2019

A high-intensity ultrasound wave generates acoustic streaming and acoustic radiation forces when propagating through a medium. An acoustic radiation force generated in a three-dimensional space can produce a solid tactile sensation, delivering spatial information directly to the human skin. We placed 154 ultrasound transmit elements with a frequency of 40 kHz on a concave circular dish, and generated an acoustic radiation force at the focal point by transmitting the ultrasound wave. To feel the tactile sensation better, the transmit elements were excited by sine waves whose amplitude was modulated by a 60 Hz square wave. As an application of ultrasonic tactile sensing, a region where tactile sense is formed in the air is used as an indicator for the position of the hand. We confirmed the utility of ultrasonic tactile feedback by implementing a system that provides the number of fingers to a machine by receiving the shape of the hand at the focal point where the tactile sense is detected.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2004.11c
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• pp.107-109
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• 2004

In this paper, authors propose the sensor fusion system that can recognize multiple 3D objects from 2D projection images and tactile information. The proposed system focuses on improving recognition performance of 3D object. Unlike the conventional object recognition system that uses image sensor alone, the proposed method uses tactual sensors in addition to visual sensor. Neural network is used to fuse these informations. Tactual signals are obtained from the reaction force by the pressure sensors at the fingertips when unknown objects are grasped by four-fingered robot hand. The experiment evaluates the recognition rate and the number of teaming iterations of various objects. The merits of the proposed systems are not only the high performance of the learning ability but also the reliability of the system with tactual information for recognizing various objects even though visual information has a defect. The experimental results show that the proposed system can improve recognition rate and reduce learning time. These results verify the effectiveness of the proposed sensor fusion system as recognition scheme of 3D object.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.156-165
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• 2005

Human being recognizes the physical world by integrating a great variety of sensory inputs, the information acquired by their own action, and their knowledge of the world using hierarchically parallel-distributed mechanism. In this paper, authors propose the sensor fusion system that can recognize multiple 3D objects from 2D projection images and tactile informations. The proposed system focuses on improving recognition performance of 3D objects. Unlike the conventional object recognition system that uses image sensor alone, the proposed method uses tactual sensors in addition to visual sensor. Neural network is used to fuse the two sensory signals. Tactual signals are obtained from the reaction force of the pressure sensors at the fingertips when unknown objects are grasped by four-fingered robot hand. The experiment evaluates the recognition rate and the number of learning iterations of various objects. The merits of the proposed systems are not only the high performance of the learning ability but also the reliability of the system with tactual information for recognizing various objects even though the visual sensory signals get defects. The experimental results show that the proposed system can improve recognition rate and reduce teeming time. These results verify the effectiveness of the proposed sensor fusion system as recognition scheme for 3D objects.

• Journal of the HCI Society of Korea
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2006

Tactile displays can provide useful information without disturbing others and are particularly useful for people with visual or auditory impairments. They can also complement other displays. In this paper, we present a new vibrotactile display device for wearable, mobile, and ubiquitous computing environments. The proposed vibrotactile device has a $5{\times}5$ array configuration for displaying complex information such as letters, numbers, and haptic patterns as well as simple directional ques and situation awareness alarms. Commercially available coin-type vibration motors are embedded vertically in flexible mounting pads in order to best localize vibrations on the skin. An embedded microprocessor controls the motors sequentially with an advanced tracing mode to increase recognition rate. User studies with the vibrotactile device on the top of the foot show 86.7% recognition rate for alphabet characters after some training. In addition, applying vibrotactile device to driving situation shows 83.9% recognition rate. We also propose some potentially useful application scenarios including Caller Identification for mobile phones and Navigation Aids for GPS systems while driving.