In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the fusion of digital and physical experiences is increasingly becoming a reality. One facet that often takes a backseat in discussions but holds immense potential is haptics. Co-founder and CPO Gijs den Butter hosted our most recent webinar, with special guest Eric Vezzoli. They delved into the intricacies of haptics and their integration into extended reality (XR). In this blog post, we’ll explore the key takeaways from the webinar, shedding light on why haptics is a crucial component in XR.
Understanding Haptics:
Haptics, in its essence, refers to the science of touch. It encompasses the sense of touch and the manipulation of virtual or remote objects through the use of force, vibration, or motion. During the webinar, the concept of tactile perceptual space was introduced – an exploration into the intricate details of how our sense of touch perceives and interacts with the digital realm.
Demo with SenseGlove Nova 2 Prototype
Challenging Perceptions:
One prevalent topic discussed in the webinar was the misconception that haptics is often perceived as something difficult to implement. Contrary to this belief, haptics should not be implemented with the same design principles as video or audio content. Instead, a dedicated haptics-interaction framework is essential to create an immersive and realistic experience for users engaging with XR content.
Key Principles for Haptic Integration in XR:
The webinar highlighted three fundamental principles for effective haptic integration in extended reality:
- Secondary Perception: Haptics should serve as a secondary perception, complementing the visual and auditory elements of XR content.
- Reinforcement: Haptic feedback should reinforce the user experience, enhancing realism and immersion.
- Zero Latency: To ensure a seamless experience, haptic feedback must have “zero” latency, minimising any delay between user actions and corresponding haptic responses.
Why Haptics in XR Content?
Several compelling reasons were discussed emphasising the importance of integrating haptics into XR content:
- Realism: Haptic feedback adds a layer of realism, making virtual experiences more tangible and authentic.
- Immersion: By engaging the sense of touch, haptics significantly enhances the overall immersion, transporting users into a more convincing virtual environment.
- User Experience: Haptics contributes to a richer user experience, making interactions more intuitive and enjoyable.
- Skill Transfer: The inclusion of haptics aids in skill transfer, allowing users to translate their real-world skills seamlessly into virtual environments.
The SenseGlove Nova 2
Techniques for efficient Haptic Integration in XR:
A significant portion of the webinar was dedicated to the development toolchain and ecosystem for haptics in XR. The focus was on creating a robust environment for development and testing, with the goal of minimising testing time and ensuring a smoother integration of haptic feedback into XR applications.
The webinar also delved into the intricate world of haptics encoding techniques and Interhaptics:
These encoding techniques play a pivotal role in translating digital information into tactile feedback. By encoding haptic signals effectively, developers can ensure that users experience realistic and responsive touch sensations in the virtual environment. The discussion underscored the importance of mastering haptics encoding to achieve precise, nuanced, and low-latency tactile feedback, further enhancing the immersive nature of XR content.
Interhaptics, a standout player in this landscape, has emerged as a powerful platform that transforms the way developers approach haptic integration. This tool provides a comprehensive suite of features, ranging from haptic design to implementation, enabling developers to create immersive tactile experiences with relative ease.
If you want to learn more about what was discussed during the webinar, check out the full video with the link below!
