A Force and Touch Sensitive Self-deformable Haptic Strip for Exploration and Deformation of Digital Surface

The paper describes a haptic device whose aim is to permit the assessment of digital prototypes of industrial products with aesthetic value. The device haptically renders curves belonging to digital surfaces. The device is a haptic strip consisting of a modular servo-controlled mechanism able to deform itself, allowing the user to feel the resulting shape with his free hands. The haptic strip is also equipped with two force sensitive handles placed at the extremities, and a capac- itive touch sensor along its length, which are used for applying deformations to the digital shape.