Design and Performance of a Two-Dimensional Tactile Slip Display

We introduce a novel two-degree-of-freedom haptic display capable of reproducing the sensation of sliding contact on a fingertip. The modular device can be attached to a PHANTOM haptic interface and generates tactile sensations by actuating a ball positioned under the user’s index finger. Specifications for the device and mechanical design considerations are presented. Integration of the slip display, PHANTOM, and a virtual environment results in a system capable of generating both tactile and kinesthetic haptic sensations. We also present the results of two psychophysical experiments, detection of slip angle and slip velocity variation, on human perception of sliding contact. These experiments demonstrate that, despite design and manufacturing tolerance limitations, the functional performance of the device is sufficient for realistic display of sliding contact.