This document details a lab study into bimanual synchronised haptics, followed by the design of a product that can be used in combination with the SenseGlove to provide their wearer with haptic feedback based on how they operate a steering mechanism in Virtual Reality. The Dutch Ministry of Defense approached SenseGlove B.V., a company specialised in haptic gloves, to develop a Proof of Principle of the potential of haptic gloves in combination with Virtual Reality as a replacement for their high fidelity combat vehicle simulators. This project was split into two parts, a kinematic arm that can block the user’s motions so a person can no longer more their physical hands through digital objects, and a tactile palm strap that provides haptic feedback to the palm of the user to convey the motion of a digital steering mechanism. The kinematic arm was designed internally, and the tactile palm strap was taken as the focus of this graduation project.

An explorative Literature Study was conducted to find the ideal locations for haptic feedback on the human palm, as well as their corresponding types. These feedback locations and types were evaluated using a method called Interaction Prototyping. Based on the results of this study, a Lab Study was set up to evaluate three types of haptic feedback on the palm of the user. For this Study, a prototype haptic interface was made that could provide all three types of haptic feedback.

The outcome of the Lab Study was inconclusive because of a low sample size and many confounding factors. While the results were unsuitable to base a feedback choice on, the confounding factors resulted in valuable Design Challenges. The choice to go for vibrotactile feedback was made based on other factors such as cost, ease of production and company preference. The design challenges formed the basis for the Ideation Phase.

Product Ideas were generated using various creative techniques, and a Morphological Chart was made to condense the ideas into three Product Concepts. One Concept inspired by competitive gloves, one Concept inspired by damping materials, and one Concept inspired by the fingers of the user. Through the aid of a Harris Profile, the choice was made to further embody the concept inspired by the fingers of the user: The Finger Folds.

The Finger Folds form a modular addition to the SenseGlove that can easily be connected and disconnected from the company’s flagship product. It consists of four modules that each provide haptic feedback to the ideal region on the palm of the user independently of one another. Each module is connected to a finger, which automatically aligns the product and keeps the haptic feedback consistent during use, no matter how extreme holds their fingers or folds their hand. Signal consistency is maintained through constant skin contact. The modules can easily be attached to or detached from a Hub that is located between the SenseGlove and the back of the user’s hand. This Hub handles the information communication between the SenseGlove, Virtual Reality and each of the modules.