Stylus-Based Tele-Touch System using a Surface Acoustic Wave Tactile Display

In this study, the authors focus on active touch by a stylus and reproduction of its sensation. Using the stylus, they can recognize the texture of an object surface through a stylus vibration according to the touch. Introducing a concept “Tele-touch,” users can experience the texture at remote site through the controlled stylus. A tele-touch stylus was proposed to realize the stylus-based tele-touch system. The authors focused the rotational vibration of the stylus by rubbing, thus a gyro sensor was installed in the stylus. At a remote site, a stylus acts as a capturer of vibration. The captured information is transmitted to the user site and utilized for the control of a tactile display to reproduce the sensation. The user can experience the texture at the remote site. This paper describes the tele-touch stylus, transfer functions involved in system control and experimental results.