From: Robin Hollands <R.Hollands@sheffield.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: TECH: Tactile Feedback Devices
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 14:55:17 +0000
Message-ID: <3301D9D5.3C9E@shef.ac.uk>
Organization: Automatic Control & Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield 


Chris Esposito wrote:
> 
> Jessica Wing (jessica@cyborganic.net) wrote:
> 
> : I am looking for tactile feedback devices to incorporate into a
> : motion-tracking system -- for example, to let the person being tracked
> : know if they are out of range of the motion tracker.  I would need
> : these devices to be small and wireless.  Our original idea is have

If you only need the device for what you stated then simply use a
piezo-electric vibrator - the same things used a miniature loud
speakers.  In theory you could make it small enought to be almost
unnoticable, but in practice expect the driver electronics to take up
the space of a small matchbox. Basically you'll need piezo-electric
actuator, a battery, an oscillator (couple of components) and some
sort of trigger. You could take the easiest route and actually trigger
the device with an infra-red light signal, but there is a danger of
occulsion. For a real wireless solution, you could use model RC
aircraft parts, or maybe even hack a car alarm!  The actuator itself
*may* not be small enough to fit at the finger tips (look around), but
if this is the case, simply mount it on the back of the hand, say.

Cheers,

Robin

Email: r.hollands@sheffield.ac.uk
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