TRIZ approach applied to improve and optimize a Haptic Strip device for Exploration and Deformation of Virtual Surfaces

This paper presents the results of the application of the TRIZ approach for the improvement and optimization of several properties of a self-deformable haptic strip. The haptic strip is part of a multimodal system whose aim is to replicate in a virtual reality environment some typical operations performed by professional industrial designers during the design process of styling products. The first version of the haptic strip mechanism has been developed with the main objective of integrating the various components in order to be able to validate the concept at the basis of the strip, which is related to the cutting plane metaphor. The second version of the haptic strip has been designed in order to extend the domain of curves that can be haptically rendered: it is capable to render geodesic trajectories in addition to planar ones. The mechanical configuration of both versions achieves a minimum bending radius of ±170 mm, which directly limits the total curves that the haptic strip is able to represent. Obviously, the smaller is the bending radius value of the haptic strip, the higher is the domain of virtual shapes that is possible to represent. The TRIZ approach has been applied in order to optimise the strip mechanical configuration in accordance to this aspect.