Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have unveiled a revolutionary display technology that allows users to not only see but also feel on-screen 3D graphics. This innovation transforms digital visuals into tangible sensations, opening up new possibilities for human-computer interaction across various industries.
Key Takeaways
- A new display technology enables users to feel on-screen graphics through touch.
- Tiny, light-activated pixels expand to create perceptible bumps.
- The technology requires no embedded wiring, relying on a scanning laser for illumination and power.
- Applications range from enhanced automotive interfaces to interactive architectural surfaces.
The Science Behind the Sensation
The core of this groundbreaking technology lies in its "optotactile pixels." These are millimeter-sized elements integrated into thin display surfaces. When illuminated by a low-power laser, a graphite film within each pixel absorbs the light, rapidly heating up. This heat expands the trapped air, causing the pixel’s surface to bulge outward by up to one millimeter, creating a tactile bump that can be felt by the user.
This process is remarkably fast, allowing a scanning laser to create dynamic animations, shapes, and characters that are both visible and palpable. The refresh rate is sufficient to make these visual-tactile experiences appear continuous, similar to conventional video displays. A significant advantage is that the light source provides both illumination and power, eliminating the need for any embedded wiring or electronics within the display surface itself.
From Concept to Tactile Reality
The journey to this invention began with a simple yet ambitious question posed by Professor Yon Visell to his PhD candidate Max Linnander: "Could the light that forms an image be converted into something that can be felt?" After nearly a year of theoretical exploration, computer simulations, and numerous unsuccessful prototypes, a breakthrough occurred in December 2022. Linnander successfully demonstrated a single pixel that produced a clear tactile pulse when illuminated by a laser, confirming the core concept’s viability.
Scalability and User Perception
The technology has proven to be highly scalable, with the team demonstrating devices featuring over 1,500 independently addressable pixels. This number significantly surpasses comparable tactile displays reported to date, and the researchers believe even larger formats are achievable, potentially utilizing modern laser video projectors.
Studies involving users interacting with these displays showed impressive results. Participants could accurately pinpoint the location of illuminated pixels with millimeter precision and clearly perceive moving graphics. They were also able to easily distinguish between different spatial and temporal patterns, indicating the system’s capability to generate a wide range of tactile content.
Future Applications
The potential applications for this visual-tactile display technology are vast. Researchers envision its use in creating automotive touchscreens that mimic the feel of physical buttons, electronic books with tangible illustrations, and interactive architectural surfaces that blend the digital and physical realms. Ultimately, this innovation embodies the exciting prospect of being able to feel anything you can see.
Sources
- New haptic display technology creates 3D graphics you can see and feel, University of California.
Founder Dinis Guarda
IntelligentHQ Your New Business Network.
IntelligentHQ is a Business network and an expert source for finance, capital markets and intelligence for thousands of global business professionals, startups, and companies.
We exist at the point of intersection between technology, social media, finance and innovation.
IntelligentHQ leverages innovation and scale of social digital technology, analytics, news, and distribution to create an unparalleled, full digital medium and social business networks spectrum.
IntelligentHQ is working hard, to become a trusted, and indispensable source of business news and analytics, within financial services and its associated supply chains and ecosystems
