Visual-Tactile Deformation Presentation System by Grasping and Load Force Estimation on Objects Using sEMG

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20315
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 61020:Human interface and interaction-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Ban Yuki 東京大学, 大学院新領域創成科学研究科, 特任講師 (20789391)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: Pseudo-haptics / sEMG / クロスモーダル / Virtual Reality

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this research is to realize object deformation interaction using pseudo-haptics by estimating the direction and magnitude of the force applied to the grasped object based on sEMG. The forces applied to the grasped object were estimated from forearm EMG, and the virtual object was deformed based on the estimated forces. The experimental results showed that the direction of the applied force on the grasped object can be estimated with 90% accuracy from the forearm EMG, and it was confirmed that this estimation method can be used to present the sensation of object deformation in VR space.

Free Research Field

Virtual Reality

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

把持物体への力計測はVRを始め様々な分野で研究されてきたが，そのほとんどが物体表面か手袋の指部に対して圧力センサを貼付・内蔵する手法であり，計測したい物体毎にセンサの貼付が必要であることや，手袋型デバイスでは手指の動きが制限されるといった課題を抱えていた．本研究の成果により，身の回りの物体をそのままVRシステムの入力インタフェースとして活用できるようになり，現状物体表面を押下した際への硬軟感提示程度に止まっていた視触覚物体変形手法を飛躍的に拡張させることができる．本研究はPseudo-haptics研究を実環境に展開する上で重要な意義を持つ．