Controller design for a wearable, near-field haptic display

In this paper, we address the problem of providing near-field haptic feedback in a wearable, scalable manner. Our solution, called the TactaBoard, supports the independent control of 16 outputs on a single controller board using a standard serial port. We have tested the system with several types of output devices, including low-cost pager motors and fans. Based on pulse-width modulation, the system can generate an output frequency from 0.3 Hz to 316 Hz. We provide a detailed description of the characteristics of our system, and present early results from empirical studies we have conducted with one possible configuration of tactors. Future enhancements to the TactaBoard system include the ability to daisy chain multiple boards on one control bus, and support for other classes of output devices such as those requiring an H-Bridge. Finally, we present some possible applications where this type of system might be useful.