Active electronic skin: an interface towards ambient haptic feedback on physical surfaces

• DOI: 10.1038/s41528-024-00311-5
• Publication Date: 2024-05-02T19:01:56Z
• Authors: Yuan Guo; Yun Wang; Qianqian Tong; Boxue Shan; Liwen He; Yuru Zhang; Dangxiao Wang
• Keywords: Stereotaxy; Haptic perception; Interface (matter); Touchpad

Abstract In the era of ubiquitous computing with flourished visual displays in our surroundings, application haptic feedback technology still remains its infancy. Bridging gap between and real world to enable ambient on various physical surfaces is a grand challenge field human-computer interaction. This paper presents concept an active electronic skin, characterized by three features: richness (multi-modal stimuli), interactivity (bi-directional sensing actuation capabilities), invisibility (transparent, ultra-thin, flexible, stretchable). By deploying this skin surfaces, dynamic versatile multi-modal display, as well tactile sensing, can be achieved. The potential applications include two categories: for (such intelligent home, car, museum), digital screen, wearable device, bare-hand device). Furthermore, existing skin-based display technologies including texture, thermal, vibrotactile are surveyed, multidimensional techniques. analyzing gaps current goal haptics, future research topics proposed, encompassing fundamental theoretical physiological psychological perception mechanisms human spatial-temporal registration among multimodal stimuli, integration actuation, display. promising advancing enabling seamless touch into surroundings.