"Exohaptics": exoskeleton for haptic feedback!

[WiredEarp]

I found it interesting, thanks Kra!

[geekmaster]

While searching around for my idea up there, I came across this:

Using Electroactive Polymers to Simulate the Sense of Light Touch
and Vibration in a Virtual Reality Environment

Thought some of you might be interested in that.

yes, great link!

More on electroactive polymers (EAPs):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroactive_polymers

Although I have no personal experience with EAPs, I have played with these "DIY friendly" air muscles:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_ ... ial_muscle
They just need something infatable (like silicone aquarium tubing) covered in a mesh sleeve (like many computer power supplies use over their cables). I have even used mesh from vegetable packaging in my experiements, and inflatable punch balls, and balloons...

But this post makes me want to play with DIY EAPs now. Any links to a homebrew solution?

[colocolo]

apropos inflatable air muscles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukUKvc_1ne4
who is thinking about VR abuse ?

[geekmaster]

... But this post makes me want to play with DIY EAPs now. Any links to a homebrew solution?

Aha! DIY Electroactive polymers on Hackaday:
http://hackaday.com/2011/07/01/electro-active-polymers/

[geekmaster]

This may be useful for providing haptic feedback:

Still at least a year away from the market, the 27-pound (12.25-kilogram) Indego is the lightest of the powered exoskeletons. It snaps together from pieces that fit into a backpack. The goal is for the user to be able to carry it on a wheelchair, put it together, strap it on and walk independently. None of the products, including the Indego, are yet approved by U.S.l regulators for personal use, meaning they must be used under the supervision of a physical therapist.

You can barely tell he is wearing it. We could sure use an affordable DIY version of this technology to provide a useful degree of haptic feedback while in VR.

[Kra]

An idea that just came to me that I've filed under; "Wish I could do, but don't have the time/resources".

Take this tech: (Morphable soft-body robots)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbqHERKdlK8

And scale it up to beanbag size. Perfect for cockpit games.

[geekmaster]

An idea that just came to me that I've filed under; "Wish I could do, but don't have the time/resources".

Take this tech: (Morphable soft-body robots)
...
And scale it up to beanbag size. Perfect for cockpit games.

Hackaday featured jammable end-effectors (similar to your "morphable soft-body robots) a couple of times:
http://hackaday.com/2010/10/26/robot-gr ... -anything/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj3yVf7ZUcI

http://hackaday.com/2010/11/04/diy-coffee/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-gHLYIWrrs

So, it would seem to be an interesting idea to use scaled-up versions of these gripper devices to grab and manuipulate body parts in a safe way for haptic feedback.

Notice that these DIY jamming grippers use coffee as the "granular medium" mentioned in your video. The difference is that yours has a controlled shape that allows for locomotion instead of just gripping, but I think some sort of hybrid device using both features may be more useful for haptic feedback.

Very interesting idea!

[geekmaster]

Check out the "CyberStrider" (no safety harness?):
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA456606

cyberstrider.jpg

[WiredEarp]

Lovely article, thanks Geekmaster!

[colocolo]

that is really awesome stuff.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 092009.htm Maybe in future we have carbon nanotube exoskeleton.
The only barrier that exists to a consumer market with various applications how Ray Baughman explains
is that they need to find a method to produce single walled CNTs cheaply.
Listen to him. Radio interview http://www.npr.org/2011/01/07/132740159 ... o-textiles

[geekmaster]

that is really awesome stuff.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 092009.htm Maybe in future we have carbon nanotube exoskeleton.
The only barrier that exists to a consumer market with various applications how Ray Baughman explains
is that they need to find a method to produce single walled CNTs cheaply.
Listen to him. Radio interview http://www.npr.org/2011/01/07/132740159 ... o-textiles

high capacity yarn muscle that does not require electrolytes or special packaging ... four times the power-to-weight ratio of common internal combustion engines.

nanoscale yarns that function as superconductors, batteries or solar cells.

Four times more powerful than an internal combustion engine of the same weight, and their own built in power source too? That sounds too good to be true. Reality is amazing!

[colocolo]

that is really awesome stuff.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 092009.htm Maybe in future we have carbon nanotube exoskeleton.
The only barrier that exists to a consumer market with various applications how Ray Baughman explains
is that they need to find a method to produce single walled CNTs cheaply.
Listen to him. Radio interview http://www.npr.org/2011/01/07/132740159 ... o-textiles

high capacity yarn muscle that does not require electrolytes or special packaging ... four times the power-to-weight ratio of common internal combustion engines.

nanoscale yarns that function as superconductors, batteries or solar cells.

Four times more powerful than an internal combustion engine of the same weight, and their own built in power source too? That sounds too good to be true. Reality is amazing!

Yeah, imagine the robots. Cheetahs like the one from MIT, super strong gorillas or whatever. I personally want to ride a robot horse with AI.
EDIT: Ah, what did i say. Of course, if the weight/power,capacity ratio would be good enough, i would love to fly an Ikrano from Avatar.

[bluebeaver]

Hi all! New to the forum...fascinating stuff and great posts! I really don't know if this question belongs here but if not, maybe someone could direct me elsewhere. The burning question I have is where could one study and learn to design such awesome machines (in the U.S. preferably)?

I have some experience with motors and controls, hydraulics and such, and even designing VR environments (very basic) but have been considering going back to school for a ME degree to focus on the "force feedback" side of VR environs. However, I have found very little in the way of schools researching entire body haptics for full body immersion or even design used in ride-film technology.

Any suggestions?

[geekmaster]

An idea that just came to me that I've filed under; "Wish I could do, but don't have the time/resources".

Take this tech: (Morphable soft-body robots)
...
And scale it up to beanbag size. Perfect for cockpit games.

Hackaday featured jammable end-effectors (similar to your "morphable soft-body robots) a couple of times:
http://hackaday.com/2010/10/26/robot-gr ... -anything/
...
So, it would seem to be an interesting idea to use scaled-up versions of these gripper devices to grab and manuipulate body parts in a safe way for haptic feedback.

Notice that these DIY jamming grippers use coffee as the "granular medium" mentioned in your video. The difference is that yours has a controlled shape that allows for locomotion instead of just gripping, but I think some sort of hybrid device using both features may be more useful for haptic feedback.

Very interesting idea!

Today, hackaday posted new soft-body grippers, and after the YouTube video the list shows new soft-body robots too:
http://hackaday.com/2013/06/30/air-powe ... o-produce/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g210oczAqGo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csFR52Z3T0I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC1WFU4G-WU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ua9_UP5-co

Cool stuff. This soft-body tech could be GREAT for haptic feedback devices.

[cosmosfood]

Hi all! New to the forum...fascinating stuff and great posts! I really don't know if this question belongs here but if not, maybe someone could direct me elsewhere. The burning question I have is where could one study and learn to design such awesome machines (in the U.S. preferably)?

I have some experience with motors and controls, hydraulics and such, and even designing VR environments (very basic) but have been considering going back to school for a ME degree to focus on the "force feedback" side of VR environs. However, I have found very little in the way of schools researching entire body haptics for full body immersion or even design used in ride-film technology.

Any suggestions?

Specific schools for full body haptics are going to be hard to find. The best bet will be looking at robotics programs and going from there.

Carnegie Mellon University is VERY highly rated for their robotics program. They've also got a vibrant student culture there known for tinkering with ideas. Could be a good fit.

University of Michigan-Anarbor is another good one that offers some good internships.

There are plenty of other schools that offer an MS in robotics, it'll just be up to you to decide their application. For learning about materials, movements, and interactions though, I'd think robotics is your best bet.