Disney develops algorithm for rendering 3D tactile features on touch surfaces

  • A person sliding a finger across a topographic map displayed on a touch screen can feel the bumps and curves of hills and valleys, despite the screen's smooth surface, with the aid of a novel algorithm created by Disney Research, Pittsburgh for tactile rendering of 3D features and textures.

    By altering the friction encountered as a person's fingertip glides across a surface, the Disney algorithm can create a perception of a 3D bump on a touch surface without having to physically move the surface. The method can be used to simulate the feel of a wide variety of objects and textures.

    The algorithm is based on a discovery that when a person slides a finger over a real physical bump, the person perceives the bump largely because lateral friction forces stretch and compress skin on the sliding finger.


    Disney Research, Pittsburgh researchers will present their findings at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology, Oct. 8-11, in St Andrews, Scotland.

    In their experiments, the Disney researchers used electrovibration to modulate the friction between the sliding finger and the touch surface with electrostatic forces. Researchers created and validated a psychophysical model that closely simulates friction forces perceived by the human finger when it slides over a real bump.

    The model was then incorporated into an algorithm that dynamically modulates the frictional forces on a sliding finger so that they match the tactile properties of the visual content displayed on the touch screen along the finger's path. A broad variety of visual artifacts thus can be dynamically enhanced with tactile feedback that adjusts as the visual display changes.


    "Touch interaction has become the standard for smartphones, tablets and even desktop computers, so designing algorithms that can convert the visual content into believable tactile sensations has immense potential for enriching the user experience," Poupyrev said. "We believe our algorithm will make it possible to render rich tactile information over visual content and that this will lead to new applications for tactile displays."

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