Kinesthetic haptics integration into large-scale virtual environments

In this paper we investigate the hardware and software challenges to integrate kinesthetic haptic force feedback into large-scale (i.e. human-sized or larger) virtual environments (VE). Based on a literature survey of current haptic interface technologies, we introduce a qualitative schema for the evaluation of large-scale haptic immersion of various haptic display types suitable to be used within such large VEs. The other focus of our research concentrates on the elaboration of a distributed software architecture for an adaptable and extendable framework for VE haptics integration. In particular we describe a specific haptics-server prototype implementation integrated into a three wall passive stereo CAVE system currently being built at the Fraunhofer IPA institute in Stuttgart.