A Retrospective on Ultrasound Mid-Air Haptics in HCI

TL;DR

Problem: enabling tactile feedback without physical contact in human-computer interaction. Approach: retrospective analysis of foundational UltraHaptics work, focusing on perceptual thresholds and real-time acoustic-field synthesis from a phased ultrasound array. Key contributions: moving from single focal points to volumetric haptic rendering, establishing perceptual discriminability and design guidelines, and illustrating broad applications from automotive UIs to MR and accessibility. Significance: demonstrates how interdisciplinary collaboration translates complex acoustics into practical, inclusive interactive technologies and informs current HCI research directions.

Abstract

In 2013, the UltraHaptics system demonstrated that focused ultrasound could generate perceivable mid-air tactile sensations, building on earlier explorations of airborne ultrasound as a haptic medium. These contributions established ultrasound mid-air haptics (UMH) as a viable interaction modality and laid the technical and perceptual foundations for subsequent advances in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). In this extended abstract, we revisit this formative work, trace the research and design trajectories it enabled, and reflect on how UMH has supported multisensory interaction, immersion, and inclusion. We also highlight how this line of research exemplifies the value of interdisciplinary collaboration to advance novel interactive technologies.