於虛擬實境中提供多層次非對稱之鞋底摩擦力觸覺回饋

Abstract

為了提升虛擬實境的真實感，許多觸覺回饋的研究已被提出討論。然而，走在不同地面材質，或是踏在不同物體例如香蕉皮，所需要的腳部摩擦力觸覺回饋，還未被虛擬實境有關觸覺回饋的研究所充分探討。因此我們提出了一個穿戴式裝置，FrictShoes。透過獨立控制每個FrictShoe底座四個輪子上的四片煞，這個裝置能夠提供鞋底與地面之間多層次且非對稱的摩擦力觸覺回饋。如此一來，每個輪子的摩擦力程度大小能夠和其他輪子提供的一樣，也能夠不同。我們進行了一個力的感知實驗，了解使用者對於摩擦力大小的分辨程度。基於上述實驗的結果，我們進一步設計了不同摩擦力組合的辨識實驗，觀察使用者是否能夠辨認輪子之間的摩擦力差異。最後，我們進行虛擬實境體驗，驗證是否鞋底與地面之間多層次且非對稱的摩擦力觸覺回饋能夠顯著提升虛擬實境之體驗。

Many haptic feedback has been proposed to enhance realism in virtual reality (VR). However, friction on feet, which renders feedback of walking on different terrains or ground textures or stepping on objects like a banana peel, is still not explored in VR haptic research. We propose a wearable device, FrictShoes, to provide multilevel nonuniform friction feedback on feet. This is achieved by independently controlling four brakes on four wheels underneath each FrictShoe device. Therefore, friction levels of the wheels on each device could be either the same or different. We conducted a force perception study to understand users’ distinguishability of friction force levels. Based on the results, we performed a friction pattern recognition study to realize what nonuniform friction patterns users can recognize. Finally, a VR experience study is performed to prove that the proposed multilevel nonuniform friction feedback on feet enhances VR experience.