SPIDAR and virtual reality

This paper presents the history and evolution of the haptic interface system SPIDAR throughout the last decade. Since its first version in 1989, SPIDAR system was adopted and customized to various kinds of virtual environments to meet user and task´s requirements. Ranging from a simple pick and place task to more complicated physical based interactions, SPIDAR has emerged as a distinguished haptic interface capable of displaying various aspects of force feedback while having the following advantages: 1) scalable system, with simple modification it can fits to most of the required working space in virtual environment. Desktop, workbench, human-scale, and networked versions have been developed to accommodate different demand of VR applications. 2) String based, its usage of string based technology to track user hands or fingers position as well as displaying back force feedback. 3) Transparent system, It keeps the working space transparent and do not obscure the visual display system. SPIDAR´s quality of haptic feedback continued to improve through time to reach the current standard, and in line with other major haptic systems, of accurate measurements and smooth force display.