Perceptually Transparent Vibration Rendering Using a Vibration Motor for Haptic Interaction

The vibration motor is an actuator widely used for generating vibrations in haptic interaction, virtual reality, human-computer interaction, and gaming. Whereas the vibration motor has many advantages such as low price and small size, its internal structure brings a critical limitation: its output has correlated amplitude and frequency both controlled by voltage applied to the motor. Using the absolute magnitude estimation paradigm in psychophysics, we have previously obtained an Input-Output (I/O) relation from the applied voltage to vibration magnitude perceived by the user. Based on its inverse I/O relation, this paper addresses a vibration rendering method that allows the user to command the vibration motor in a perceptually transparent manner. Using the rendering method, the effects of vibration commands (in voltage) on the user´s percept can be correctly understood, allowing more effective vibration design for haptic interaction. We have also implemented a prototype graphical vibration editor into which the perceptually transparent vibration rendering method is incorporated. The vibration editor can assist the user to easily design vibration effects for the vibration motor as s/he manipulates sounds with a graphical audio editor and to clearly predict the user´s percept induced from the resulting vibrations as well.