Session 20: Next Gen Advancements

Flexible Haptic Actuators -- Like you never felt before
Thursday, February 15, 2018
1:40 PM - 2:00 PM

Traditional haptic devices involving motors and high voltage benders deployed in Wearable devices thus far, provide a rudimentary, usually solitary, somewhat annoying vibration. They draw your attention but don't do much else, they are big and bulky, and they vibrate the entire device, often expensive, and are ripe for disruption. The talk will focus on Electro Mechanical Polymer (EMP) technology, that are flexible, lite, thin (150 microns), and provide a wide variety of pleasing haptic output from low (few Hz) to medium frequencies (few KHz). The actuator is usually bonded to a substrate (embedded in a wrist watch strap or VR gloves) when powered, the single-direction expansion of the material causes the substrate to vibrate locally, thus creating haptic feedback that can be different at each finger tip. EMP products have a unique blend of force and modulus, making it well suited for VR accessories to provide the third element - touch.