Mid-air Haptics & Ultrasound

Ultrasound mid-air haptics is a recent technology that allows users to experience the sensation of touch without direct contact with a physical surface. This technology is gaining increasing attention in research due to its versatility in applications. The possibilities of mid-air haptics have already been explored in various domains such as human-computer interaction, virtual and augmented reality (VR & AR), automotive user interfaces, and digital advertising.

However, the literature currently lacks research on the processing of mid-air haptics at a neural level. This doctoral project will therefore delve deeper into the neural processes involved in the processing of mid-air haptics. Additionally, we will investigate the applicability of mid-air haptics in combination with VR and AR.

The overall plan for this project is not yet fully developed. However, an initial study has already been proposed. In this study, an experiment conducted by Brickwedde et al. (2020) will be replicated. In their research, Brickwedde et al. (2020) investigated steady-state somatosensory evoked potentials (SS-SEPs) generated by a pneumatic vibrotactile device. We plan to conduct a similar experiment with vibrotactile stimulation and compare it with an additional experiment using mid-air haptic stimulation. We expect to find similar SS-SEPs in both conditions.

The further course of this project will depend on the results of the studies. Additionally, follow-up experiments or other studies will be set up during this project.