Dimitrov, V. – VEMI Lab /vemi University of Maine Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:33:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 The Design of mid-air ultrasonic haptic interfaces based on the perception of lines /vemi/publication/the-design-of-mid-air-ultrasonic-haptic-interfaces-based-on-the-perception-of-lines/ Tue, 18 Jul 2023 18:15:55 +0000 /vemi/?post_type=publication&p=3584 Mid-air ultrasonic feedback is a new form of haptic stimulation supporting mid-air, touch-free user interfaces. Functional implementation of ultrasonic haptic (UH) interfaces depend upon the ability to accurately distinguish between the intensity, shape, orientation, and movement of a signal. This user study (N = 15) investigates the ability to non-visually perceive two ultrasonic lines with varying lengths (3, 5, and 7 cm) and
orientations (vertical and horizontal) using the palm of the hand. Key results showed that: (1) the orientation of the lines had no effect on a user’s accuracy when determining their relative lengths, (2) line length distinction significantly improved when the length difference was at least 4 cm, and (3) a clear learning curve was evident when evaluating a new user’s ability to perceive ultrasonic signals. The capabilities of UH technology identified and discussed within this study will help engineer user-friendly and functional mid-air haptic interfaces for future applications.

Keywords: Ultrasonic feedback, Mid-air haptics, User interfaces, Human-computer interaction

Citation: Loranger, J.A., Brown, J.R., Kindler, H.D., Fink, P.D.S., Dimitrov, V., & Giudice, N.A. (2023). The Design of mid-air ultrasonic haptic interfaces based on the perception of lines. In: I.L. Nunes (ed) Human Factors and Systems Interaction. Proceedings of the International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE’23). vol 84, 18-26. AHFE International, USA. DOI: http://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1003586

]]> Does it press? Investigating the efficacy of an ultrasonic haptic button interface for non-visual driving applications /vemi/publication/does-it-press-investigating-the-efficacy-of-an-ultrasonic-haptic-button-interface-for-non-visual-driving-applications/ Tue, 18 Jul 2023 18:13:33 +0000 /vemi/?post_type=publication&p=3583 Ultrasonic haptic (UH) feedback employs mid-air ultrasound waves detectable by the palm of the hand. This interface demonstrates a novel opportunity to utilize non-visual input and output (I/O) functionalities in interactive applications, such as vehicle controls that allow the user to keep their eyes on the road. However, more work is needed to evaluate the useability of such an interface. In this study, 16 blindfolded participants completed tasks involving finding and counting UH buttons, associating buttons with audio cues, learning spatial arrangements, and determining button states. Results showed that users were generally successful with 2–4 arranged buttons and could associate them with audio cues with an average accuracy of 77.1%. Participants were also able to comprehend button spatial arrangements with 77.8% accuracy and engage in reconstruction tasks, suggesting development of reasonably accurate spatial representations. These results signify the capability of UH feedback to have real-world I/O functionality and serve to guide future exploration in this area.

Keywords: Ultrasonic haptic feedback, Mid-air haptics, Ultrasonic buttons, Non-visual interface

Citation: Alsamsam, M., Fink, P.D.S., Brown, J.R., Dimitrov, V., & Giudice, N.A.  (2023). Does it press? Investigating the efficacy of an ultrasonic haptic button interface for non-visual driving applications. In: G. Praetorius, C. Sellberg, & R. Patriarca (eds) Human Factors in Transportation. Proceedings of the International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE’23). vol 95, 343-353. AHFE International, USA. DOI: http://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1003819

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