Internet page

Citation

Rigelsford, J. (2004), "Internet page", Sensor Review, Vol. 24 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.2004.08724aag.001

Internet page

Keywords: Haptics

http://www.sensable.comSensAble Technologies

Established in 1993, SensAble Technologies, Inc. has more than 500 customers in 30 countries. Their core product is the PHANTOM® haptic interface, which was initially developed as a thesis project in MIT's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. The PHANTOM device makes it possible for users to touch and manipulate virtual objects. Other products include the GHOST® Software Developer's Tool kit, which provides simplified development of touch-enabled applications, and the FreeForm® Modelinge system for digital product design.

This site is well laid out and easy to navigate.

http://mecol.korea.ac.kr/link.htmMechatronics and Control Laboratory

The Mechatronics and Control Laboratory is part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Korea University. The goals of research conducted in the “Touch Lab” are to understand human haptics, develop machine haptics, and enhance human-machine interactions in virtual reality and teleoperator systems. Their research includes the PHI (Pneumatic haptic Interface) system – a master- slave type haptic interface, and the magnetic levitation haptic device – a haptic interface device based on Lorentz force magnetic levitation.

This site outlines the details of major research subjects and provides links to many other associated University research topics. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to navigate.

http://www.forcedimension.comForce Dimension

Founded in 2000, Force Dimension is a spin-off company of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne. They have become a world leader in high precision haptic interfaces for research and industrial applications. Their products include the three-DOF Delta, six-DOF Delta and Cardanic Delta for high precision haptics and force feedback interface developments.

This is not one of the easiest sites to navigate and some of the links are only available in French.

http://www.novint.comNovint Technologies

Established in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1999, Novint Technologies develops products that let users touch virtual objects on a computer using a touch input device.

http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/reference/tech/haptic.htmlAdaptive Technology Resource Centre

The Adaptive Technology Resource Centre of the University of Toronto is active in haptic research, development, education, and consultancy.

This site provides basic definitions and descriptions of haptic technologies and links to other associated webpages.

http://www.immersion.comImmersion Corporation

Since 1993 Immersion Corporation has been developing tactile feedback technology and has obtained almost 200 patents. Their TouchSensee technology has been used for medical simulation, interactive gaming, the automotive industry, industrial research and much more.

http://www.acm.org/crossroads/xrds3-3/haptic.htmlAssociation for Computing Machinery

Founded in 1947, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) aims to advance the skills of information technology professionals and students across the world. Crossroads is a student run publication of the ACM and includes a well written introductory article on Haptics. It addresses the concepts of force-feedback and tactile-feedback and the application of the technology to the human body, and specifically how it can help the handicapped and blind. As a student run publication the level is just right for those new to the world of haptics or who want to find out more.

Hot sites

http://haptic.mech.nwu.edu/intro/teleoperation/The Haptic Community Web site

The Haptics Community Web site is intended to be a central online resource for researchers in the haptic community. The site is sponsored by the Laboratory for Intelligent Mechanical Systems at North Western University.

The site was a product of the 1995 IMECE Symposium on Haptic Interface to Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems. It provides an image gallery of haptic displays around the world, and introductory sections on control issues, mechanical design, tactile display, teleoperation, psychophysics, and simulation design. The site also includes links to paper archives, introductory essays, laboratory and individual paper archives, industrial and academic opportunities in haptics, and conference announcements.

This is an extremely useful site that will be of interest to academics and industrialists alike.

http://www.haptics-e.orgHaptics-e

Haptics-e is the electronic, peer-reviewed, journal of haptic perception and human machine interaction. It is technically co- sponsored by The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society and aims to combine the high quality, wide availability, and archival retention of traditional scientific journals with the speed and economy of electronic distribution.

The journal will consider papers on subjects relating to haptics including: mechatronics, devices for haptic interaction, biomechanics, sensory/motor interaction, neurophysiology, haptic rendering, systems and networking, human-computer interfaces, real-time dynamic simulation and modelling of physical phenomena.

Jon Rigelsford