Several researchers have successfully developed realistic models of real world objects/ phenomena and then have simulated them in the virtual world. In this thesis, we propose the opposite: instantiating virtual world events in the real world. The interactive 3D virtual environment provides a useful, realistic 3D world that resembles objects/phenomena of a real world, but it has limited capability to communicate with the physical environment. We argue that new and intuitive 3D user interfaces, such as 3D virtual environment interfaces, may provide an alternative form of media for communicating with the real environment. We propose a 3D virtual world-based add-on architecture that achieves a synchronized virtual-real communication. In this framework, we explored the possibilities of integrating haptic and real world object interactions with Linden Lab's multiuser online 3D virtual world, Second Life. We enhanced the open source Second Life viewer client in order to facilitate communications between the real and virtual world. Moreover, we analyzed the suitability of such an approach in terms of user perception, intuition and other common parameters. Our experiments suggest that the proposed approach not only demonstrates a more intuitive mode of communication system, but also is appealing and useful to the user. Some of the potential applications of the proposed approach include remote child-care, communication between distant lovers, stress recovery, and home automation.

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The area of Human-Robot Interaction deals with problems not only related to robots interacting with humans, but also with problems related to humans interacting and controlling robots. This dissertation focuses on the latter and evaluates multi-sensory (vision, hearing, touch, smell) feedback interfaces as a means to improve robot-operator cognition and performance. A set of four empirical studies using both simulated and real robotic systems evaluated a set of multi-sensory feedback interfaces with various levels of complexity. The task scenario for the robot in these studies involved the search for victims in a debris-filled environment after a fictitious catastrophic event (e.g., earthquake) took place. The results show that, if well-designed, multi-sensory feedback interfaces can indeed improve the robot operator data perception and performance. Improvements in operator performance were detected for navigation and search tasks despite minor increases in workload. In fact, some of the multi-sensory interfaces evaluated even led to a reduction in workload. The results also point out that redundant feedback is not always beneficial to the operator. While introducing the concept of operator omni-directional perception, that is, the operator’s capability of perceiving data or events coming from all senses and in all directions, this work explains that feedback redundancy is only beneficial when it enhances the operator omni-directional perception of data relevant to the task at hand. Last, the comprehensive methodology employed and refined over the course of the four studies is suggested as a starting point for the design of future HRI user studies. In summary, this work sheds some light on the benefits and challenges multi-sensory feedback interfaces bring, specifically on teleoperated robotics. It adds to our current understanding of these kinds of interfaces and provides a few insights to assist the continuation of research in the area.

Haptic-based Virtual Reality (VR) applications have many merits. What is still obscure, from the designer’s perspective of these applications, is the experience the users will undergo when they use the VR system. Quality of Experience (QoE) is an evaluation metric from the user’s perspective that unfortunately has received limited attention from the research community. Assessing the QoE of VR applications reflects the amount of overall satisfaction and benefits gained from the application in addition to laying the foundation for ideal user-centric design in the future. In this thesis, we address certain issues and concerns regarding QoE of virtual environments. In essence, we propose a taxonomy for the evaluation of the QoE for multimedia applications and in particular VR applications. The taxonomy classifies QoE related parameters into groups. The groups’ organization is generated from the definition we have adopted for the QoE which is the Quality of Service (QoS) plus the user experience (UX). We model this taxonomy using first mathematical modeling based on weighted averages and then a Fuzzy logic Inference System (FIS) to quantitatively measure the QoE of haptic virtual environments. We test both models conducting user study analysis to evaluate the QoE of a VR application. These models serve as engines that facilitate the calculation of QoE with minimal amount of users. We specifically attend to the issue of the new media, haptics, within the context of increasing the QoE of virtual environments (VE). This special attention is important for comparing the effect of tactile and kinesthetic feedback on the QoE. In accordance, we investigate a particular topic that seems to have a colossal effect on QoE throughout our analysis, which is fatigue. Our analysis involved users' studies since the main focus is on the user. The QoE for virtual environments is in its primary stages. This thesis tackles issues that are vital in dealing with and understanding the importance of QoE. The various results suggest a positive user's disposition toward haptics and virtual environments, yet there will always be obstacles and challenges such as fatigue that if minimized will enhance the QoE of haptic-based applications.

Haptic-based Virtual Reality (VR) applications have many merits. What is still obscure, from the designer’s perspective of these applications, is the experience the users will undergo when they use the VR system. Quality of Experience (QoE) is an evaluation metric from the user’s perspective that unfortunately has received limited attention from the research community. Assessing the QoE of VR applications reflects the amount of overall satisfaction and benefits gained from the application in addition to laying the foundation for ideal user-centric design in the future. In this thesis, we address certain issues and concerns regarding QoE of virtual environments. In essence, we propose a taxonomy for the evaluation of the QoE for multimedia applications and in particular VR applications. The taxonomy classifies QoE related parameters into groups. The groups’ organization is generated from the definition we have adopted for the QoE which is the Quality of Service (QoS) plus the user experience (UX). We model this taxonomy using first mathematical modeling based on weighted averages and then a Fuzzy logic Inference System (FIS) to quantitatively measure the QoE of haptic virtual environments. We test both models conducting user study analysis to evaluate the QoE of a VR application. These models serve as engines that facilitate the calculation of QoE with minimal amount of users. We specifically attend to the issue of the new media, haptics, within the context of increasing the QoE of virtual environments (VE). This special attention is important for comparing the effect of tactile and kinesthetic feedback on the QoE. In accordance, we investigate a particular topic that seems to have a colossal effect on QoE throughout our analysis, which is fatigue. Our analysis involved users' studies since the main focus is on the user. The QoE for virtual environments is in its primary stages. This thesis tackles issues that are vital in dealing with and understanding the importance of QoE. The various results suggest a positive user's disposition toward haptics and virtual environments, yet there will always be obstacles and challenges such as fatigue that if minimized will enhance the QoE of haptic-based applications.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In immersive eLearning environments, it has been demonstrated that incorporating haptic feedback improves the software's pedagogical effectiveness. Due to this and recent advancements in virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) environments, more immersive, authentic, and viable pedagogical tools have been created. However, the advanced manufacturing industry has not fully embraced mixed reality training tools. There is currently a need for effective haptic feedback techniques in advanced manufacturing environments. The MR-AVML, a proposed CNC milling machine training tool, is designed to include two forms of haptic feedback, thereby providing users with a natural and intuitive experience. This experience is achieved by tasking users with running a virtual machine seen through the Microsoft HoloLens and interacting with a physical representation of the machine controller. After conducting a pedagogical study on the environment, it was found that the MR-AVML was 6.06% more effective than a version of the environment with no haptic feedback, and only 1.35% less effective than hands-on training led by an instructor. This shows that the inclusion of haptic feedback in an advanced manufacturing training environment can improve pedagogical effectiveness.

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當今運動健身蔚為風潮,加上網路資源普及,許多人藉由數位教學影片鍛鍊體 魄,不但能自由安排時間,也能在家參與課程,成為新世代的學習方式。傳統上,運 動健身較好的方式為教練在旁協助,除了口頭給予即時的指示,還能直接以身體觸碰 學員姿勢不良的部位,引導其肢體伸展、調整身體重心、提醒放鬆過於緊繃之部位, 然而新世代的學習方式透過教學影片無法立即對運動者當下的肢體動作做出反應,過 程中全倚賴運動者本身對於肢體的認知,往往和影片中教練的動作有落差而不自知, 因此,本研究期望藉由觸覺回饋輔助使用者做出正確的姿勢或動作。 過去針對觸覺回饋的研究相當地多,甚至可回溯至1950年代,然而將觸覺回饋應 用於運動指引的研究近年才漸漸出現,其應用層面僅限於提示作用,無法引導使用者 該如何動作,且目前回饋方式仍需倚賴受測者記憶動作與觸覺回饋的對應關係,無法 直覺做出反應。本研究模仿肌肉群收縮帶動肢體運動之方式,設計人工外部肌肉引導 手臂旋前旋後動作,人工外部肌肉包含步進馬達產生拉力、魚線及鬆緊帶模擬肌肉分 佈、收縮以及袖套包覆手臂帶動旋轉,系統設計歷經三版本的演進,最終設計出一套 具引導效果的觸覺回饋穿戴式裝置。 系統評估共邀請10位受測者進行實驗,結果證實此套裝置能有效提供方向性指示 (正確率98%),且受測者普遍反應裝置提供的回饋方式相當直覺,手臂會有被帶動 的感覺,能馬上知道該如何轉動手臂。實驗更進一步測試引導手臂轉動特定角度,實 驗結果效果也相當好,平均誤差在3度以內,此外,亦探討實驗過程中受測者對觸覺回 饋的行為反應,作為日後系統改良或觸覺回饋設計的參考。 / Nowadays, exercise and fitness have become a growing trend. Since the access to the internet resources is very easy and popular, many people choose to do exercise through digital online videos, which not only they can arrange their own exercising schedule, but also they can learn the courses at home. Traditionally, a better way for exercise learning is getting assistance from a professional coach, who can give instruction immediately, and adjust by direct body contact right away while the exercisers act incorrectly. However, the online video can not accomplish the purpose. On the condition that the exercisers rely only on the cognition of their own bodies they might not notice their posture different from the video. This research aimed to provide guidelines to do the correct posture or movement through tactile feedback. From past till now, the researches of tactile feedback are of considerable numbers, we can find the related researches back to 1950s. Recently it starts to be applied in exercising guiding. However, the applications only provide passive instructions, which require users to memorize the relationship between the tactile feedbacks and the correspond actions. Users are unable to react by instinct. In this research, we imitate the way of body movement driven by the muscles contraction. We design artificial external muscles on a sleeve to guide forearm pronation and supination. The wearable tactile feedback sleeve consists of stepper motors to provide pulling force, fishing wires and elastics to imitate muscle contraction to drive the forearm to roll. This system design has been revised three times, and we finally established a wearable tactile feedback device which has guiding effect. 10 participants are recruited for the experiments. The result showed that this device can guide forearm rolling successfully (the accuracy is 98%). The participants commented that the feedback is very close to instinct. They felt their arm was guided by the device, and knew the exact moment to roll their forearm. In the second experiment, we tried to guide the forearm rolling for several target angles and the result was quite promising. The mean error is within 3 degrees. We also reported the participants’ reactions through our tactile feedback system. We will expand the system to guide the other parts of human body in the future.

This master thesis is focused on design of control stick grip and rudder pedals extension. These components are equipped with active elements, which provide pilot with haptic feedback. The purpose of the introduced design is to allow prototype to be built into the aeroplane so that the proposed concept of haptic feedback can be tested onboard. It shall verify used technical solutions as well to allow for their application on following development stages that aim at certification of the proposed haptic feedback system to be used in general aviation aeroplanes. The designed components are the successors of prototypes used for experiments carried on flight simulator. The design process follows the requirements of legislation and outcomes of the previous experiments. This thesis follows the design process from setting of the design requirements to mechanical test of 3D printed prototypes.

A finalidade desse trabalho é desenvolver um protótipo de uma prótese antropomórfica multifuncional para membros superiores para pacientes amputados. Seu objetivo é substituir a mão natural perdida, de forma a auxiliar a realização de algumas tarefas diárias do usuário. A prótese possuirá características antropomórficas, tais como aparência e movimentação semelhantes às da mão humana, e características naturais inerentes à mesma, por exemplo, o arco reflexo. Além disso, contará também com meios de realimentação táteis das informações de forças aplicadas pela prótese em objetos, bem como sua temperatura para o paciente, suprindo assim uma das carências das próteses convencionais. Esse dispositivo terá incorporado na sua construção sensores diversos para realizar as funções propostas e contará com um algoritmo baseado em redes neurais artificiais, capaz de identificar padrões dos sinais mioelétricos do paciente, que serão utilizados como sinais de controle, possibilitando ao paciente um comando natural. Todas essas implementações visam contribuir para a redução da taxa de rejeição de próteses para membros superiores e possibilitar uma maior reabilitação e reintegração do paciente à sociedade. / The purpose of this assignment is to develop a multifunctional and anthropomorphic upper limb prosthesis prototype for amputated patients. Its objective is to substitute the natural lost hand, in a way to improve the performance of regular activities. This prosthesis will have anthropomorphic characteristics, like appearance and movement, similar to the ones of the human hand, and natural characteristics inherent to it, for example the reflected arc. Another characteristic will be the tactile feedback ways of obtaining the information of the forces applied by the prosthesis in objects, as well as their temperature for the patient, overcoming therefore one of the traditional prosthesis\' deficiency. This device will have incorporated in its construction many sensors in order to do the proposed functions and it will use an algorithm based on the artificial neural network that is able to recognize patterns of myoelectric signals of the patient, which will be used as control signals, making possible to the patient a natural command. All of these implementations objective to contribute for the reduction of the rejection rate of prostheses for upper limb members and make possible a better rehabilitation and reintegration of the patient in the society.