Feelable Touchscreens

Disney Research develops touchscreens you can feel...

In this project, Disney Research develops and applies a tactile rendering algorithm simulate rich 3D geometric features (such as bumps, ridges, edges, protrusions, texture etc.) on touch screen surfaces...basically they're making touchscreens you can feel...

The underlying hypothesis is that when a finger slides on an object, minute surface variations are sensed by friction-sensitive mechanoreceptors in the skin. Thus, modulating the friction forces between the fingertip and the touch surface would create illusion of surface variations. They propose that the perception of a 3D "bump" is created when local gradients of the virtual bump are mapped to lateral friction forces.

Using this method, they are able to turn flat pictures into tactile sensations, and thus hope to enrich our interaction with touch screen computers.

For a more detailed explanation visit their website: www.disneyresearch.com