FlyHaptics: Flying Multi-contact Haptic Interface

TL;DR

FlyHaptics tackles the absence of unconstrained mid-air tactile feedback in VR, teleoperation, and remote interaction. It proposes a drone-mounted multi-contact haptic interface with six five-bar linkages, controlled via ROS on an Orange Pi 5B and localized by a Vicon system. In a grounded pilot study with eight participants, five static tactile patterns were recognized with an average accuracy of $86.5\%$, with no significant differences across patterns ($F(4, 35)=1.4665$, $p=0.2332$). Flight tests demonstrated stable hover and consistent force output under indoor conditions, validating feasibility and laying groundwork for integration into immersive VR and remote operation, with future work exploring dynamic patterns and richer tactile rendering.

Abstract

This work presents FlyHaptics, an aerial haptic interface tracked via a Vicon optical motion capture system and built around six five-bar linkage assemblies enclosed in a lightweight protective cage. We predefined five static tactile patterns - each characterized by distinct combinations of linkage contact points and vibration intensities - and evaluated them in a grounded pilot study, where participants achieved 86.5 recognition accuracy (F(4, 35) = 1.47, p = 0.23) with no significant differences between patterns. Complementary flight demonstrations confirmed stable hover performance and consistent force output under realistic operating conditions. These pilot results validate the feasibility of drone-mounted, multi-contact haptic feedback and lay the groundwork for future integration into fully immersive VR, teleoperation, and remote interaction scenarios.

Figures (6)

• Figure 1: FlyHaptics delivers tactile feedback to VR user
• Figure 2: Haptic Drone CAD Design
• Figure 3: System Architecture
• Figure 4: FlyHaptics Haptic Device
• Figure 5: Haptic Patterns Diagram