Multiscale haptic interfaces for metaverse

Haptic interactions in virtual reality (or the “metaverse”) depend on the ability of actuators to transmit sensations to the mechanoreceptors on the human skin. Similar to the considerations for foveated display, variations in the sensitivity of our somatosensory system are important to consider when designing haptic devices, i.e., to design a system with adjustable actuator size and density to adapt for the different sensitivities and distributions of mechanoreceptors on the human body. In this paper, we present a wearable haptic feedback device made of thermoplastic urethanes with an adjustable pneumatic haptic interface (PHI). The PHI contains actuator types of different sizes and layouts to provide haptic feedback ranging from delicate and precise feedback to robust and large-area feedback. We develop a 16-channel system with a refresh rate up to 10 Hz and demonstrate its applications in gaming and training programs in the metaverse and for braille reading.