Publications
2024
1.
Adenekan, Rachel A. G.; Reyes, Alejandrina Gonzalez; Yoshida, Kyle T.; Kodali, Sreela; Okamura, Allison M.; Nunez, Cara M.
A Comparative Analysis of Smartphone and Standard Tools for Touch Perception Assessment Across Multiple Body Sites Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Haptics, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 970–977, 2024, ISSN: 2329-4051, (Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Haptics).
@article{adenekan_comparative_2024,
title = {A Comparative Analysis of Smartphone and Standard Tools for Touch Perception Assessment Across Multiple Body Sites},
author = {Rachel A. G. Adenekan and Alejandrina Gonzalez Reyes and Kyle T. Yoshida and Sreela Kodali and Allison M. Okamura and Cara M. Nunez},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10420501},
doi = {10.1109/TOH.2024.3362154},
issn = {2329-4051},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-10-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
volume = {17},
number = {4},
pages = {970–977},
abstract = {Tactile perception plays an important role in activities of daily living, and it can be impaired in individuals with certain medical conditions. The most common tools used to assess tactile sensation, the Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments and the 128 Hz tuning fork, have poor repeatability and resolution. Long term, we aim to provide a repeatable, high-resolution testing platform that can be used to assess vibrotactile perception through smartphones without the need for an experimenter to be present to conduct the test. We present a smartphone-based vibration perception measurement platform and compare its performance to measurements from standard monofilament and tuning fork tests. We conducted a user study with 36 healthy adults in which we tested each tool on the hand, wrist, and foot, to assess how well our smartphone-based vibration perception thresholds (VPTs) detect known trends obtained from standard tests. The smartphone platform detected statistically significant changes in VPT between the index finger and foot and also between the feet of younger adults and older adults. Our smartphone-based VPT had a moderate correlation to tuning fork-based VPT. Our overarching objective is to develop an accessible smartphone-based platform that can eventually be used to measure disease progression and regression.},
note = {Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Tactile perception plays an important role in activities of daily living, and it can be impaired in individuals with certain medical conditions. The most common tools used to assess tactile sensation, the Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments and the 128 Hz tuning fork, have poor repeatability and resolution. Long term, we aim to provide a repeatable, high-resolution testing platform that can be used to assess vibrotactile perception through smartphones without the need for an experimenter to be present to conduct the test. We present a smartphone-based vibration perception measurement platform and compare its performance to measurements from standard monofilament and tuning fork tests. We conducted a user study with 36 healthy adults in which we tested each tool on the hand, wrist, and foot, to assess how well our smartphone-based vibration perception thresholds (VPTs) detect known trends obtained from standard tests. The smartphone platform detected statistically significant changes in VPT between the index finger and foot and also between the feet of younger adults and older adults. Our smartphone-based VPT had a moderate correlation to tuning fork-based VPT. Our overarching objective is to develop an accessible smartphone-based platform that can eventually be used to measure disease progression and regression.
2.
Mohan, Mayumi; Nunez, Cara M.; Kuchenbecker, Katherine J.
Closing the loop in minimally supervised human–robot interaction: formative and summative feedback Journal Article
In: Scientific Reports, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 10564, 2024, ISSN: 2045-2322, (Publisher: Nature Publishing Group).
@article{mohan_closing_2024,
title = {Closing the loop in minimally supervised human–robot interaction: formative and summative feedback},
author = {Mayumi Mohan and Cara M. Nunez and Katherine J. Kuchenbecker},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-60905-x},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-024-60905-x},
issn = {2045-2322},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-05-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
volume = {14},
number = {1},
pages = {10564},
abstract = {Human instructors fluidly communicate with hand gestures, head and body movements, and facial expressions, but robots rarely leverage these complementary cues. A minimally supervised social robot with such skills could help people exercise and learn new activities. Thus, we investigated how nonverbal feedback from a humanoid robot affects human behavior. Inspired by the education literature, we evaluated formative feedback (real-time corrections) and summative feedback (post-task scores) for three distinct tasks: positioning in the room, mimicking the robot’s arm pose, and contacting the robot’s hands. Twenty-eight adults completed seventy-five 30-s-long trials with no explicit instructions or experimenter help. Motion-capture data analysis shows that both formative and summative feedback from the robot significantly aided user performance. Additionally, formative feedback improved task understanding. These results show the power of nonverbal cues based on human movement and the utility of viewing feedback through formative and summative lenses.},
note = {Publisher: Nature Publishing Group},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Human instructors fluidly communicate with hand gestures, head and body movements, and facial expressions, but robots rarely leverage these complementary cues. A minimally supervised social robot with such skills could help people exercise and learn new activities. Thus, we investigated how nonverbal feedback from a humanoid robot affects human behavior. Inspired by the education literature, we evaluated formative feedback (real-time corrections) and summative feedback (post-task scores) for three distinct tasks: positioning in the room, mimicking the robot’s arm pose, and contacting the robot’s hands. Twenty-eight adults completed seventy-five 30-s-long trials with no explicit instructions or experimenter help. Motion-capture data analysis shows that both formative and summative feedback from the robot significantly aided user performance. Additionally, formative feedback improved task understanding. These results show the power of nonverbal cues based on human movement and the utility of viewing feedback through formative and summative lenses.
3.
Zhu, Xin; Su, Zhenghui; Tsai, Jocelyn; Nunez, Cara M.; Culbertson, Heather
The Importance of Contextual Grounding in Affective Mediated Touch Proceedings Article
In: 2024 IEEE Haptics Symposium (HAPTICS), pp. 91–97, 2024, (ISSN: 2324-7355).
@inproceedings{zhu_importance_2024,
title = {The Importance of Contextual Grounding in Affective Mediated Touch},
author = {Xin Zhu and Zhenghui Su and Jocelyn Tsai and Cara M. Nunez and Heather Culbertson},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10520861},
doi = {10.1109/HAPTICS59260.2024.10520861},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-04-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
booktitle = {2024 IEEE Haptics Symposium (HAPTICS)},
pages = {91–97},
abstract = {We explore the effect of contextual grounding in amplifying the conveyance of social information via mediated touch. We implemented two touch modalities for 6 emotion-based scenarios to capture a broader spectrum of haptic feedback: normal indentation and skin-slip. Participants were provided emotional touch cues with no context and were asked to report their perceived emotional state, and then repeated the same process while receiving prompts of the scenario alongside the touch cues. Our user study (N=20) reveals that contextual grounding significantly enhances (p < 0.01) the participants’ ability to discern emotions.},
note = {ISSN: 2324-7355},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
We explore the effect of contextual grounding in amplifying the conveyance of social information via mediated touch. We implemented two touch modalities for 6 emotion-based scenarios to capture a broader spectrum of haptic feedback: normal indentation and skin-slip. Participants were provided emotional touch cues with no context and were asked to report their perceived emotional state, and then repeated the same process while receiving prompts of the scenario alongside the touch cues. Our user study (N=20) reveals that contextual grounding significantly enhances (p < 0.01) the participants’ ability to discern emotions.
4.
Adenekan, Rachel A. G.; Yoshida, Kyle T.; Benyoucef, Anis; Reyes, Alejandrina Gonzalez; Adenekan, Adeyinka E.; Okamura, Allison M.; Nunez, Cara M.
Reliability of Smartphone-Based Vibration Threshold Measurements Proceedings Article
In: 2024 IEEE Haptics Symposium (HAPTICS), pp. 25–32, 2024, (ISSN: 2324-7355).
@inproceedings{adenekan_reliability_2024,
title = {Reliability of Smartphone-Based Vibration Threshold Measurements},
author = {Rachel A. G. Adenekan and Kyle T. Yoshida and Anis Benyoucef and Alejandrina Gonzalez Reyes and Adeyinka E. Adenekan and Allison M. Okamura and Cara M. Nunez},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10520838},
doi = {10.1109/HAPTICS59260.2024.10520838},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-04-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
booktitle = {2024 IEEE Haptics Symposium (HAPTICS)},
pages = {25–32},
abstract = {Smartphone-based measurement platforms can collect data on human sensory function in an accessible manner. We developed a smartphone app that measures vibration perception thresholds by commanding vibrations with varying amplitudes and recording user responses via (1) a staircase method that adjusts a variable stimulus, and (2) a decay method that measures the time a user feels a decaying stimulus. We conducted two studies with healthy adults to assess the reliability and usability of the app when the smartphone was applied to the hand and foot. The staircase mode had good reliability for repeated measurements, both with and without the support of an in-person experimenter. The app has the potential to be used at home in unguided scenarios.},
note = {ISSN: 2324-7355},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Smartphone-based measurement platforms can collect data on human sensory function in an accessible manner. We developed a smartphone app that measures vibration perception thresholds by commanding vibrations with varying amplitudes and recording user responses via (1) a staircase method that adjusts a variable stimulus, and (2) a decay method that measures the time a user feels a decaying stimulus. We conducted two studies with healthy adults to assess the reliability and usability of the app when the smartphone was applied to the hand and foot. The staircase mode had good reliability for repeated measurements, both with and without the support of an in-person experimenter. The app has the potential to be used at home in unguided scenarios.
5.
Zhu, Xin; Su, Zhenghui; Tsai, Jocelyn; Nunez, Cara M.; Culbertson, Heather
The Importance of Contextual Grounding in Affective Mediated Touch Proceedings Article
In: IEEE Haptics Symposium, pp. 91-97, 2024.
@inproceedings{Zhu2024ContextualGrounding,
title = {The Importance of Contextual Grounding in Affective Mediated Touch},
author = {Xin Zhu and Zhenghui Su and Jocelyn Tsai and Cara M. Nunez and Heather Culbertson},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-01-01},
booktitle = {IEEE Haptics Symposium},
pages = {91-97},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
6.
Adenekan, Rachel A. G.; Yoshida, Kyle T.; Benyoucef, Anis; Reyes, Alejandrina Gonzalez; Adenekan, Adeyinka E.; Okamura, Allison M.; Nunez, Cara M.
Reliability of Smartphone-Based Vibration Threshold Measurements Proceedings Article
In: IEEE Haptics Symposium, pp. 25-32, 2024.
@inproceedings{Adenekan2024ReliabilitySmartphoneVPT,
title = {Reliability of Smartphone-Based Vibration Threshold Measurements},
author = {Rachel A. G. Adenekan and Kyle T. Yoshida and Anis Benyoucef and Alejandrina Gonzalez Reyes and Adeyinka E. Adenekan and Allison M. Okamura and Cara M. Nunez},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-01-01},
booktitle = {IEEE Haptics Symposium},
pages = {25-32},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
7.
Adenekan, Rachel A. G.; Reyes, Alejandrina Gonzalez; Yoshida, Kyle T.; Kodali, Sreela; Okamura, Allison M.; Nunez, Cara M.
A Comparative Analysis of Smartphone and Standard Tools for Touch Perception Assessment Across Multiple Body Sites Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Haptics, pp. 1-8, 2024.
@article{Adenekan2024SmartphoneTouchPerception,
title = {A Comparative Analysis of Smartphone and Standard Tools for Touch Perception Assessment Across Multiple Body Sites},
author = {Rachel A. G. Adenekan and Alejandrina Gonzalez Reyes and Kyle T. Yoshida and Sreela Kodali and Allison M. Okamura and Cara M. Nunez},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-01-01},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
pages = {1-8},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
8.
Mohan, Mayumi; Nunez, Cara M.; Kuchenbecker, Katherine J.
Closing the loop in minimally supervised human–robot interaction: formative and summative feedback Journal Article
In: Scientific Reports, vol. 14, no. 10564, 2024.
@article{Mohan2024FormativeSummativeFeedback,
title = {Closing the loop in minimally supervised human–robot interaction: formative and summative feedback},
author = {Mayumi Mohan and Cara M. Nunez and Katherine J. Kuchenbecker},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-01-01},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
volume = {14},
number = {10564},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
9.
Raitor, Michael; Nunez, Cara M.; Stolka, Philipp J.; Okamura, Allison M.; Culbertson, Heather
Design and Evaluation of Haptic Guidance in Ultrasound-Based Needle-Insertion Procedures Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 26–35, 2024, ISSN: 1558-2531, (Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering).
@article{raitor_design_2024,
title = {Design and Evaluation of Haptic Guidance in Ultrasound-Based Needle-Insertion Procedures},
author = {Michael Raitor and Cara M. Nunez and Philipp J. Stolka and Allison M. Okamura and Heather Culbertson},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10168249},
doi = {10.1109/TBME.2023.3290919},
issn = {1558-2531},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-01-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering},
volume = {71},
number = {1},
pages = {26–35},
abstract = {Objective: This article presents two haptic guidance systems designed to help a clinician keep an ultrasound probe steady when completing ultrasound-assisted needle insertion tasks. These procedures demand spatial reasoning and hand-eye coordination because the clinician must align a needle with the ultrasound probe and extrapolate the needle trajectory using only a 2D ultrasound image. Past research has shown that visual guidance helps the clinician align the needle, but does not help the clinician keep the ultrasound probe steady, sometimes resulting in a failed procedure. Methods: We created two separate haptic guidance systems to provide feedback if the user tilts the ultrasound probe away from the desired setpoint using (1) vibrotactile stimulation provided by a voice coil motor or (2) distributed tactile pressure provided by a pneumatic mechanism. Results: Both systems significantly reduced probe deviation and correction time to errors during a needle insertion task. We also tested the two feedback systems in a more clinically relevant setup and showed that the perceptibility of the feedback was not affected by the addition of a sterile bag placed over the actuators and gloves worn by the user. Conclusion: These studies show that both types of haptic feedback are promising for helping the user keep the ultrasound probe steady during ultrasound-assisted needle insertion tasks. Survey results indicated that users preferred the pneumatic system over the vibrotactile system. Significance: Haptic feedback may improve user performance in ultrasound-based needle-insertion procedures and shows promise in training for needle-insertion tasks and other medical procedures where guidance is required.},
note = {Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Objective: This article presents two haptic guidance systems designed to help a clinician keep an ultrasound probe steady when completing ultrasound-assisted needle insertion tasks. These procedures demand spatial reasoning and hand-eye coordination because the clinician must align a needle with the ultrasound probe and extrapolate the needle trajectory using only a 2D ultrasound image. Past research has shown that visual guidance helps the clinician align the needle, but does not help the clinician keep the ultrasound probe steady, sometimes resulting in a failed procedure. Methods: We created two separate haptic guidance systems to provide feedback if the user tilts the ultrasound probe away from the desired setpoint using (1) vibrotactile stimulation provided by a voice coil motor or (2) distributed tactile pressure provided by a pneumatic mechanism. Results: Both systems significantly reduced probe deviation and correction time to errors during a needle insertion task. We also tested the two feedback systems in a more clinically relevant setup and showed that the perceptibility of the feedback was not affected by the addition of a sterile bag placed over the actuators and gloves worn by the user. Conclusion: These studies show that both types of haptic feedback are promising for helping the user keep the ultrasound probe steady during ultrasound-assisted needle insertion tasks. Survey results indicated that users preferred the pneumatic system over the vibrotactile system. Significance: Haptic feedback may improve user performance in ultrasound-based needle-insertion procedures and shows promise in training for needle-insertion tasks and other medical procedures where guidance is required.
2023
10.
Yoshida, Kyle T.; Kiernan, Joel X.; Adenekan, Rachel A. G.; Trinh, Steven H.; Lowber, Alexis J.; Okamura, Allison M.; Nunez, Cara M.
Cognitive and Physical Activities Impair Perception of Smartphone Vibrations Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Haptics, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 672–679, 2023, ISSN: 2329-4051, (Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Haptics).
@article{yoshida_cognitive_2023,
title = {Cognitive and Physical Activities Impair Perception of Smartphone Vibrations},
author = {Kyle T. Yoshida and Joel X. Kiernan and Rachel A. G. Adenekan and Steven H. Trinh and Alexis J. Lowber and Allison M. Okamura and Cara M. Nunez},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10132042},
doi = {10.1109/TOH.2023.3279201},
issn = {2329-4051},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-10-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
volume = {16},
number = {4},
pages = {672–679},
abstract = {Vibration feedback is common in everyday devices, from virtual reality systems to smartphones. However, cognitive and physical activities may impede our ability to sense vibrations from devices. In this study, we develop and characterize a smartphone platform to investigate how a shape-memory task (cognitive activity) and walking (physical activity) impair human perception of smartphone vibrations. We measured how Apple's Core Haptics Framework parameters can be used for haptics research, namely how hapticIntensity modulates amplitudes of 230 Hz vibrations. A 23-person user study found that physical (p< 0.001) and cognitive (p=0.012) activity increase vibration perception thresholds. Cognitive activity also increases vibration response time (p< 0.001). This work also introduces a smartphone platform that can be used for out-of-lab vibration perception testing. Researchers can use our smartphone platform and results to design better haptic devices for diverse, unique populations.},
note = {Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Vibration feedback is common in everyday devices, from virtual reality systems to smartphones. However, cognitive and physical activities may impede our ability to sense vibrations from devices. In this study, we develop and characterize a smartphone platform to investigate how a shape-memory task (cognitive activity) and walking (physical activity) impair human perception of smartphone vibrations. We measured how Apple’s Core Haptics Framework parameters can be used for haptics research, namely how hapticIntensity modulates amplitudes of 230 Hz vibrations. A 23-person user study found that physical (p< 0.001) and cognitive (p=0.012) activity increase vibration perception thresholds. Cognitive activity also increases vibration response time (p< 0.001). This work also introduces a smartphone platform that can be used for out-of-lab vibration perception testing. Researchers can use our smartphone platform and results to design better haptic devices for diverse, unique populations.
11.
Yoshida, Kyle T.; Kiernan, Joel X.; Okamura, Allison M.; Nunez, Cara M.
Exploring Human Response Times to Combinations of Audio, Haptic, and Visual Stimuli from a Mobile Device Proceedings Article
In: 2023 IEEE World Haptics Conference (WHC), pp. 121–127, 2023, (ISSN: 2835-9534).
@inproceedings{yoshida_exploring_2023,
title = {Exploring Human Response Times to Combinations of Audio, Haptic, and Visual Stimuli from a Mobile Device},
author = {Kyle T. Yoshida and Joel X. Kiernan and Allison M. Okamura and Cara M. Nunez},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10224375},
doi = {10.1109/WHC56415.2023.10224375},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-07-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
booktitle = {2023 IEEE World Haptics Conference (WHC)},
pages = {121–127},
abstract = {Auditory, haptic, and visual stimuli provide alerts, notifications, and information for a wide variety of applications ranging from virtual reality to wearable and hand-held devices. Response times to these stimuli have been used to assess motor control and design human-computer interaction systems. In this study, we investigate human response times to 26 combinations of auditory, haptic, and visual stimuli at three levels (high, low, and of 0. We developed an iOS app that presents these stimuli in random intervals and records response times on an iPhone 11. We conducted a user study with 20 participants and found that response time decreased with more types and higher levels of stimuli. The low visual condition had the slowest mean response time (mean ± standard deviation, 528textbackslashpm 105 ms) and the condition with high levels of audio, haptic, and visual stimuli had the fastest mean response time (320textbackslashpm 43 ms). This work quantifies response times to multi-modal stimuli, identifies interactions between different stimuli types and levels, and introduces an app-based method that can be widely distributed to measure response time. Understanding preferences and response times for stimuli can provide insight into designing devices for human-machine interaction.},
note = {ISSN: 2835-9534},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Auditory, haptic, and visual stimuli provide alerts, notifications, and information for a wide variety of applications ranging from virtual reality to wearable and hand-held devices. Response times to these stimuli have been used to assess motor control and design human-computer interaction systems. In this study, we investigate human response times to 26 combinations of auditory, haptic, and visual stimuli at three levels (high, low, and of 0. We developed an iOS app that presents these stimuli in random intervals and records response times on an iPhone 11. We conducted a user study with 20 participants and found that response time decreased with more types and higher levels of stimuli. The low visual condition had the slowest mean response time (mean ± standard deviation, 528textbackslashpm 105 ms) and the condition with high levels of audio, haptic, and visual stimuli had the fastest mean response time (320textbackslashpm 43 ms). This work quantifies response times to multi-modal stimuli, identifies interactions between different stimuli types and levels, and introduces an app-based method that can be widely distributed to measure response time. Understanding preferences and response times for stimuli can provide insight into designing devices for human-machine interaction.
12.
Xu, Siyi; Nunez, Cara M.; Souri, Mohammad; Wood, Robert J.
A compact DEA-based soft peristaltic pump for power and control of fluidic robots Journal Article
In: Science Robotics, vol. 8, no. 79, pp. eadd4649, 2023, (Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science).
@article{xu_compact_2023,
title = {A compact DEA-based soft peristaltic pump for power and control of fluidic robots},
author = {Siyi Xu and Cara M. Nunez and Mohammad Souri and Robert J. Wood},
url = {https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/scirobotics.add4649},
doi = {10.1126/scirobotics.add4649},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-06-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
journal = {Science Robotics},
volume = {8},
number = {79},
pages = {eadd4649},
abstract = {Fluid-driven robotic systems typically use bulky and rigid power supplies, considerably limiting their mobility and flexibility. Although various forms of low-profile soft pumps have been demonstrated, they either are limited to specific working fluids or generate limited flow rates or pressures, making them ill-suited for widespread robotics applications. In this work, we introduce a class of centimeter-scale soft peristaltic pumps for power and control of fluidic robots. An array of high power density robust dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) (each weighing 1.7 grams) were adopted as soft motors, operated in a programmed pattern to produce pressure waves in a fluidic channel. We investigated and optimized the dynamic performance of the pump by analyzing the interaction between the DEAs and the fluidic channel with a fluid-structure interaction finite element model. Our soft pump achieved a maximum blocked pressure of 12.5 kilopascals and a run-out flow rate of 39 milliliters per minute with a response time of less than 0.1 second. The pump can generate bidirectional flow and adjustable pressure through control of drive parameters such as voltage and phase shift. Furthermore, the use of peristalsis makes the pump compatible with various liquids. To illustrate the versatility of the pump, we demonstrate mixing a cocktail, powering custom actuators for haptic devices, and performing closed-loop control of a soft fluidic actuator. This compact soft peristaltic pump opens up possibilities for future on-board power sources for fluid-driven robots in a variety of applications, including food handling, manufacturing, and biomedical therapeutics.},
note = {Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Fluid-driven robotic systems typically use bulky and rigid power supplies, considerably limiting their mobility and flexibility. Although various forms of low-profile soft pumps have been demonstrated, they either are limited to specific working fluids or generate limited flow rates or pressures, making them ill-suited for widespread robotics applications. In this work, we introduce a class of centimeter-scale soft peristaltic pumps for power and control of fluidic robots. An array of high power density robust dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) (each weighing 1.7 grams) were adopted as soft motors, operated in a programmed pattern to produce pressure waves in a fluidic channel. We investigated and optimized the dynamic performance of the pump by analyzing the interaction between the DEAs and the fluidic channel with a fluid-structure interaction finite element model. Our soft pump achieved a maximum blocked pressure of 12.5 kilopascals and a run-out flow rate of 39 milliliters per minute with a response time of less than 0.1 second. The pump can generate bidirectional flow and adjustable pressure through control of drive parameters such as voltage and phase shift. Furthermore, the use of peristalsis makes the pump compatible with various liquids. To illustrate the versatility of the pump, we demonstrate mixing a cocktail, powering custom actuators for haptic devices, and performing closed-loop control of a soft fluidic actuator. This compact soft peristaltic pump opens up possibilities for future on-board power sources for fluid-driven robots in a variety of applications, including food handling, manufacturing, and biomedical therapeutics.
13.
Xu, Siyi; Nunez, Cara M.; Souri, Mohammad; Wood, Robert J
A compact DEA-based soft peristaltic pump for power and control of fluidic robots Journal Article
In: Science Robotics, vol. 8, no. 79, pp. eadd4649, 2023.
@article{Xu2023DEAPump,
title = {A compact DEA-based soft peristaltic pump for power and control of fluidic robots},
author = {Siyi Xu and Cara M. Nunez and Mohammad Souri and Robert J Wood},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-01-01},
journal = {Science Robotics},
volume = {8},
number = {79},
pages = {eadd4649},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
14.
Yoshida, Kyle T.; Kiernan, Joel X.; Adenekan, Rachel A. G.; Trinh, Steven H.; Lowber, Alexis J.; Okamura, Allison M.; Nunez, Cara M.
Cognitive and Physical Activities Impair Perception of Smartphone Vibrations Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Haptics, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 672-679, 2023.
@article{Yoshida2023CognitivePhysical,
title = {Cognitive and Physical Activities Impair Perception of Smartphone Vibrations},
author = {Kyle T. Yoshida and Joel X. Kiernan and Rachel A. G. Adenekan and Steven H. Trinh and Alexis J. Lowber and Allison M. Okamura and Cara M. Nunez},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-01-01},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
volume = {16},
number = {4},
pages = {672-679},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
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15.
Yoshida, Kyle T.; Kiernan, Joel X.; Okamura, Allison M.; Nunez, Cara M.
Exploring Human Response Times to Combinations of Audio, Haptic, and Visual Stimuli from a Mobile Device Proceedings Article
In: IEEE World Haptics Conference, pp. 121-127, 2023.
@inproceedings{Yoshida2023ResponseTimes,
title = {Exploring Human Response Times to Combinations of Audio, Haptic, and Visual Stimuli from a Mobile Device},
author = {Kyle T. Yoshida and Joel X. Kiernan and Allison M. Okamura and Cara M. Nunez},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-01-01},
booktitle = {IEEE World Haptics Conference},
pages = {121-127},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
2022
16.
Nunez, Cara M.; Do, Brian H.; Low, Andrew K.; Blumenschein, Laura H.; Yamane, Katsu; Okamura, Allison M.
A Large-Area Wearable Soft Haptic Device Using Stacked Pneumatic Pouch Actuation Proceedings Article
In: 2022 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), pp. 591–598, 2022, (ISSN: 2153-0866).
@inproceedings{nunez_large-area_2022,
title = {A Large-Area Wearable Soft Haptic Device Using Stacked Pneumatic Pouch Actuation},
author = {Cara M. Nunez and Brian H. Do and Andrew K. Low and Laura H. Blumenschein and Katsu Yamane and Allison M. Okamura},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9981919},
doi = {10.1109/IROS47612.2022.9981919},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-10-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
booktitle = {2022 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)},
pages = {591–598},
abstract = {While haptics research has traditionally focused on the fingertips and hands, other locations on the body provide large areas of skin that could be utilized to relay large-area haptic sensations. Researchers have thus developed wearable devices that use distributed vibrotactile actuators and distributed pneumatic force displays, but these methods have limitations. In prior work, we presented a novel actuation technique involving stacking pneumatic pouches and evaluated the actuator output. In this work, we developed a wearable haptic device using this actuation technique and evaluated how the actuator output is perceived. We conducted a user study with 20 participants to evaluate users' perception thresholds, ability to localize, and ability to detect differences in contact area and compare their perception using the stacked pneumatic pouch actuation to traditional single-layer pouch actuation. We also used our device with stacked pneumatic actuation in a demonstration of a haptic hug that replicates the dynamics, pressure profile, and mapping to the human back, showcasing how this actuation technique can be used to create novel haptic stimuli.},
note = {ISSN: 2153-0866},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
While haptics research has traditionally focused on the fingertips and hands, other locations on the body provide large areas of skin that could be utilized to relay large-area haptic sensations. Researchers have thus developed wearable devices that use distributed vibrotactile actuators and distributed pneumatic force displays, but these methods have limitations. In prior work, we presented a novel actuation technique involving stacking pneumatic pouches and evaluated the actuator output. In this work, we developed a wearable haptic device using this actuation technique and evaluated how the actuator output is perceived. We conducted a user study with 20 participants to evaluate users’ perception thresholds, ability to localize, and ability to detect differences in contact area and compare their perception using the stacked pneumatic pouch actuation to traditional single-layer pouch actuation. We also used our device with stacked pneumatic actuation in a demonstration of a haptic hug that replicates the dynamics, pressure profile, and mapping to the human back, showcasing how this actuation technique can be used to create novel haptic stimuli.
17.
Salvato, Mike; Williams, Sophia R.; Nunez, Cara M.; Zhu, Xin; Israr, Ali; Lau, Frances; Klumb, Keith; Abnousi, Freddy; Okamura, Allison M.; Culbertson, Heather
Data-Driven Sparse Skin Stimulation Can Convey Social Touch Information to Humans Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Haptics, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 392–404, 2022, ISSN: 2329-4051, (Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Haptics).
@article{salvato_data-driven_2022,
title = {Data-Driven Sparse Skin Stimulation Can Convey Social Touch Information to Humans},
author = {Mike Salvato and Sophia R. Williams and Cara M. Nunez and Xin Zhu and Ali Israr and Frances Lau and Keith Klumb and Freddy Abnousi and Allison M. Okamura and Heather Culbertson},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9619941},
doi = {10.1109/TOH.2021.3129067},
issn = {2329-4051},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-04-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
volume = {15},
number = {2},
pages = {392–404},
abstract = {During social interactions, people use auditory, visual, and haptic cues to convey their thoughts, emotions, and intentions. Due to weight, energy, and other hardware constraints, it is difficult to create devices that completely capture the complexity of human touch. Here we explore whether a sparse representation of human touch is sufficient to convey social touch signals. To test this we collected a dataset of social touch interactions using a soft wearable pressure sensor array, developed an algorithm to map recorded data to an array of actuators, then applied our algorithm to create signals that drive an array of normal indentation actuators placed on the arm. Using this wearable, low-resolution, low-force device, we find that users are able to distinguish the intended social meaning, and compare performance to results based on direct human touch. As online communication becomes more prevalent, such systems to convey haptic signals could allow for improved distant socializing and empathetic remote human-human interaction.},
note = {Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
During social interactions, people use auditory, visual, and haptic cues to convey their thoughts, emotions, and intentions. Due to weight, energy, and other hardware constraints, it is difficult to create devices that completely capture the complexity of human touch. Here we explore whether a sparse representation of human touch is sufficient to convey social touch signals. To test this we collected a dataset of social touch interactions using a soft wearable pressure sensor array, developed an algorithm to map recorded data to an array of actuators, then applied our algorithm to create signals that drive an array of normal indentation actuators placed on the arm. Using this wearable, low-resolution, low-force device, we find that users are able to distinguish the intended social meaning, and compare performance to results based on direct human touch. As online communication becomes more prevalent, such systems to convey haptic signals could allow for improved distant socializing and empathetic remote human-human interaction.
18.
Salvato, Millie; Williams, Sophia R.; Nunez, Cara M.; Zhu, Xin; Israr, Ali; Lau, Frances; Klumb, Keith; Abnousi, Freddy; Okamura, Allison M.; Culbertson, Heather
Data-Driven Sparse Skin Stimulation Can Convey Social Touch Information to Humans Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Haptics, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 392-404, 2022.
@article{salvato2022sparsedatadriven,
title = {Data-Driven Sparse Skin Stimulation Can Convey Social Touch Information to Humans},
author = {Millie Salvato and Sophia R. Williams and Cara M. Nunez and Xin Zhu and Ali Israr and Frances Lau and Keith Klumb and Freddy Abnousi and Allison M. Okamura and Heather Culbertson},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-01-01},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
volume = {15},
number = {2},
pages = {392-404},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
19.
Nunez, Cara M.; Do, Brian H.; Low, Andrew K.; Blumenschein, Laura H.; Yamane, Katsu; Okamura, Allison M.
A Large-Area Wearable Soft Haptic Device Using Stacked Pneumatic Pouch Actuation Proceedings Article
In: IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, pp. 591-598, 2022.
@inproceedings{Nunez2022StackedPouch,
title = {A Large-Area Wearable Soft Haptic Device Using Stacked Pneumatic Pouch Actuation},
author = {Cara M. Nunez and Brian H. Do and Andrew K. Low and Laura H. Blumenschein and Katsu Yamane and Allison M. Okamura},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-01-01},
booktitle = {IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems},
pages = {591-598},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
2021
20.
Mohan, Mayumi; Nunez, Cara M.; Kuchenbecker, Katherine J.
Robot Interaction Studio: A Platform for Unsupervised HRI Proceedings Article
In: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, pp. 3330-3336, 2021.
@inproceedings{Mohan2021RobotInteractionStudio,
title = {Robot Interaction Studio: A Platform for Unsupervised HRI},
author = {Mayumi Mohan and Cara M. Nunez and Katherine J. Kuchenbecker},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-01-01},
booktitle = {IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation},
pages = {3330-3336},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
2020
21.
Martinez, Melisa Orta; Nunez, Cara M.; Liao, Ting; Morimoto, Tania K.; Okamura, Allison M.
Evolution and Analysis of Hapkit: An Open-Source Haptic Device for Educational Applications Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Haptics, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 354–367, 2020, ISSN: 2329-4051, (Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Haptics).
@article{orta_martinez_evolution_2020,
title = {Evolution and Analysis of Hapkit: An Open-Source Haptic Device for Educational Applications},
author = {Melisa Orta Martinez and Cara M. Nunez and Ting Liao and Tania K. Morimoto and Allison M. Okamura},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8878113},
doi = {10.1109/TOH.2019.2948609},
issn = {2329-4051},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-04-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
volume = {13},
number = {2},
pages = {354–367},
abstract = {We present the design, evolution and analysis of “Hapkit,” a low-cost, open-source kinesthetic haptic device for use in educational applications. Hapkit was developed in 2013 based on the design of the Stanford Haptic Paddle, with the goal of decreasing cost and increasing accessibility for educational applications, including online teaching, K-12 school use, and college dynamic systems and control courses. In order to develop Hapkit for these purposes, we tested a variety of transmission, actuation, and structural materials. Hapkit 3.0, the latest version, uses a capstan drive, inexpensive DC motor, and 3-D printed structural materials. A frequency-domain system identification method was used to characterize Hapkit dynamics across the various designs. This method was validated using a first principles parameter measurement and a transient response analysis. This characterization shows that Hapkit 3.0 has lower damping and Coulomb friction than previous designs. We also performed a user study demonstrating that Hapkit 3.0 improves discrimination of virtual stiffness compared to previous designs. The design evolution of Hapkit resulted in a low-cost, high-performance device appropriate for open-source dissemination and educational applications.},
note = {Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
We present the design, evolution and analysis of “Hapkit,” a low-cost, open-source kinesthetic haptic device for use in educational applications. Hapkit was developed in 2013 based on the design of the Stanford Haptic Paddle, with the goal of decreasing cost and increasing accessibility for educational applications, including online teaching, K-12 school use, and college dynamic systems and control courses. In order to develop Hapkit for these purposes, we tested a variety of transmission, actuation, and structural materials. Hapkit 3.0, the latest version, uses a capstan drive, inexpensive DC motor, and 3-D printed structural materials. A frequency-domain system identification method was used to characterize Hapkit dynamics across the various designs. This method was validated using a first principles parameter measurement and a transient response analysis. This characterization shows that Hapkit 3.0 has lower damping and Coulomb friction than previous designs. We also performed a user study demonstrating that Hapkit 3.0 improves discrimination of virtual stiffness compared to previous designs. The design evolution of Hapkit resulted in a low-cost, high-performance device appropriate for open-source dissemination and educational applications.
22.
Nunez, Cara M.; Huerta, Bryce N.; Okamura, Allison M.; Culbertson, Heather
Investigating Social Haptic Illusions for Tactile Stroking (SHIFTS) Proceedings Article
In: 2020 IEEE Haptics Symposium (HAPTICS), pp. 629–636, 2020, (ISSN: 2324-7355).
@inproceedings{nunez_investigating_2020,
title = {Investigating Social Haptic Illusions for Tactile Stroking (SHIFTS)},
author = {Cara M. Nunez and Bryce N. Huerta and Allison M. Okamura and Heather Culbertson},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9086323},
doi = {10.1109/HAPTICS45997.2020.ras.HAP20.35.f631355d},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-03-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
booktitle = {2020 IEEE Haptics Symposium (HAPTICS)},
pages = {629–636},
abstract = {A common and effective form of social touch is stroking on the forearm. We seek to replicate this stroking sensation using haptic illusions. This work compares two methods that provide sequential discrete stimulation: sequential normal indentation and sequential lateral skin-slip using discrete actuators. Our goals are to understand which form of stimulation more effectively creates a continuous stroking sensation, and how many discrete contact points are needed. We performed a study with 20 participants in which they rated sensations from the haptic devices on continuity and pleasantness. We found that lateral skin-slip created a more continuous sensation, and decreasing the number of contact points decreased the continuity. These results inform the design of future wearable haptic devices and the creation of haptic signals for effective social communication.},
note = {ISSN: 2324-7355},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
A common and effective form of social touch is stroking on the forearm. We seek to replicate this stroking sensation using haptic illusions. This work compares two methods that provide sequential discrete stimulation: sequential normal indentation and sequential lateral skin-slip using discrete actuators. Our goals are to understand which form of stimulation more effectively creates a continuous stroking sensation, and how many discrete contact points are needed. We performed a study with 20 participants in which they rated sensations from the haptic devices on continuity and pleasantness. We found that lateral skin-slip created a more continuous sensation, and decreasing the number of contact points decreased the continuity. These results inform the design of future wearable haptic devices and the creation of haptic signals for effective social communication.
23.
Nunez, Cara M.; Vardar, Yasemin; Kuchenbecker, Katherine J.
In: 2020.
@inproceedings{nunez_insights_2020,
title = {Insights into human perception of asymmetric vibrations via dynamic modeling: 12th International Conference on Human Haptic Sensing and Touch Enabled Computer Applications, EuroHaptics 2020},
author = {Cara M. Nunez and Yasemin Vardar and Katherine J. Kuchenbecker},
url = {https://hi.is.mpg.de/publications/nunez20-ehwip-asymmetric},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
abstract = {Certain ungrounded asymmetric vibrations create a unidirectional force that makes the user feel as though their fingers are being pulled in a particular direction. However, although researchers have discovered this haptic feedback technique and showcased its success in a variety of applications, there is still little understanding about how different attributes of the asymmetric vibration signal affect the perceived pulling sensation. Our work aims to use dynamic modeling and measurement to bridge this gap between the design of the control signals and human perception. We present a new dynamic model of a common vibrotactile actuator (Haptuator Mark II) held between the soft, nonlinear fingers of a human user. After anecdotally observing that actuator acceleration strongly depends on grip force, we augmented this model so that grip force directly modifies the model parameters related to finger contact. We present results from driving this simulation with widely varying asymmetric vibrations that produce stronger and weaker pulling sensations. We also present preliminary data from a user study in which participants rated the perceived direction and strength of the same diverse range of asymmetric vibration cues; grip force and actuator acceleration were both recorded for all trials. Comparing the simulations with the physical measurements and perceptual results validates our dynamic model and provides insights on how different aspects of the asymmetric waveform affect the perception of the pulling sensation.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Certain ungrounded asymmetric vibrations create a unidirectional force that makes the user feel as though their fingers are being pulled in a particular direction. However, although researchers have discovered this haptic feedback technique and showcased its success in a variety of applications, there is still little understanding about how different attributes of the asymmetric vibration signal affect the perceived pulling sensation. Our work aims to use dynamic modeling and measurement to bridge this gap between the design of the control signals and human perception. We present a new dynamic model of a common vibrotactile actuator (Haptuator Mark II) held between the soft, nonlinear fingers of a human user. After anecdotally observing that actuator acceleration strongly depends on grip force, we augmented this model so that grip force directly modifies the model parameters related to finger contact. We present results from driving this simulation with widely varying asymmetric vibrations that produce stronger and weaker pulling sensations. We also present preliminary data from a user study in which participants rated the perceived direction and strength of the same diverse range of asymmetric vibration cues; grip force and actuator acceleration were both recorded for all trials. Comparing the simulations with the physical measurements and perceptual results validates our dynamic model and provides insights on how different aspects of the asymmetric waveform affect the perception of the pulling sensation.
24.
Nunez, Cara M.; Huerta, Bryce N.; Okamura, Allison M.; Culbertson, Heather
Investigating Social Haptic Illusions for Tactile Stroking (SHIFTS) Proceedings Article
In: IEEE Haptics Symposium, pp. 629–636, 2020.
@inproceedings{Nunez2020SHIFTS,
title = {Investigating Social Haptic Illusions for Tactile Stroking (SHIFTS)},
author = {Cara M. Nunez and Bryce N. Huerta and Allison M. Okamura and Heather Culbertson},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
booktitle = {IEEE Haptics Symposium},
pages = {629–636},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
25.
Martinez, Melisa Orta; Nunez, Cara M.; Liao, Ting; Morimoto, Tania K.; Okamura, Allison M.
Evolution and Analysis of Hapkit: An Open-Source Haptic Device for Educational Applications Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Haptics, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 354-367, 2020.
@article{8878113b,
title = {Evolution and Analysis of Hapkit: An Open-Source Haptic Device for Educational Applications},
author = {Melisa Orta Martinez and Cara M. Nunez and Ting Liao and Tania K. Morimoto and Allison M. Okamura},
doi = {10.1109/TOH.2019.2948609},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
volume = {13},
number = {2},
pages = {354-367},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
26.
Martinez, Melisa Orta; Nunez, Cara M.; Liao, Ting; Morimoto, Tania K.; Okamura, Allison M.
Evolution and Analysis of Hapkit: An Open-Source Haptic Device for Educational Applications Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Haptics, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 354-367, 2020.
@article{8878113,
title = {Evolution and Analysis of Hapkit: An Open-Source Haptic Device for Educational Applications},
author = {Melisa Orta Martinez and Cara M. Nunez and Ting Liao and Tania K. Morimoto and Allison M. Okamura},
doi = {10.1109/TOH.2019.2948609},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-01},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
volume = {13},
number = {2},
pages = {354-367},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
2019
27.
Nunez, Cara M.; Williams, Sophia R.; Okamura, Allison M.; Culbertson, Heather
Understanding Continuous and Pleasant Linear Sensations on the Forearm From a Sequential Discrete Lateral Skin-Slip Haptic Device Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Haptics, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 414–427, 2019, ISSN: 2329-4051, (Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Haptics).
@article{nunez_understanding_2019,
title = {Understanding Continuous and Pleasant Linear Sensations on the Forearm From a Sequential Discrete Lateral Skin-Slip Haptic Device},
author = {Cara M. Nunez and Sophia R. Williams and Allison M. Okamura and Heather Culbertson},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8836097},
doi = {10.1109/TOH.2019.2941190},
issn = {2329-4051},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-10-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
volume = {12},
number = {4},
pages = {414–427},
abstract = {A continuous stroking sensation on the skin can convey messages or emotion cues. We seek to induce this sensation using a combination of illusory motion and lateral stroking via a haptic device. Our system provides discrete lateral skin-slip on the forearm with rotating tactors, which independently provide lateral skin-slip in a timed sequence. We vary the sensation by changing the angular velocity and delay between adjacent tactors, such that the apparent speed of the perceived stroke ranges from 2.5 to 48.2 cm/s. We investigated which actuation parameters create the most pleasant and continuous sensations through a user study with 16 participants. On average, the sensations were rated by participants as both continuous and pleasant. The most continuous and pleasant sensations were created by apparent speeds of 7.7 and 5.1 cm/s, respectively. We also investigated the effect of spacing between contact points on the pleasantness and continuity of the stroking sensation, and found that the users experience a pleasant and continuous linear sensation even when the space between contact points is relatively large (40 mm). Understanding how sequential discrete lateral skin-slip creates continuous linear sensations can influence the design and control of future wearable haptic devices.},
note = {Conference Name: IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
A continuous stroking sensation on the skin can convey messages or emotion cues. We seek to induce this sensation using a combination of illusory motion and lateral stroking via a haptic device. Our system provides discrete lateral skin-slip on the forearm with rotating tactors, which independently provide lateral skin-slip in a timed sequence. We vary the sensation by changing the angular velocity and delay between adjacent tactors, such that the apparent speed of the perceived stroke ranges from 2.5 to 48.2 cm/s. We investigated which actuation parameters create the most pleasant and continuous sensations through a user study with 16 participants. On average, the sensations were rated by participants as both continuous and pleasant. The most continuous and pleasant sensations were created by apparent speeds of 7.7 and 5.1 cm/s, respectively. We also investigated the effect of spacing between contact points on the pleasantness and continuity of the stroking sensation, and found that the users experience a pleasant and continuous linear sensation even when the space between contact points is relatively large (40 mm). Understanding how sequential discrete lateral skin-slip creates continuous linear sensations can influence the design and control of future wearable haptic devices.
28.
Yoshida, Kyle T.; Nunez, Cara M.; Williams, Sophia R.; Okamura, Allison M.; Luo, Ming
3-DoF Wearable, Pneumatic Haptic Device to Deliver Normal, Shear, Vibration, and Torsion Feedback Proceedings Article
In: 2019 IEEE World Haptics Conference (WHC), pp. 97–102, IEEE, Tokyo, Japan, 2019, ISBN: 978-1-5386-9461-9.
@inproceedings{yoshida_3-dof_2019b,
title = {3-DoF Wearable, Pneumatic Haptic Device to Deliver Normal, Shear, Vibration, and Torsion Feedback},
author = {Kyle T. Yoshida and Cara M. Nunez and Sophia R. Williams and Allison M. Okamura and Ming Luo},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8816084/},
doi = {10.1109/WHC.2019.8816084},
isbn = {978-1-5386-9461-9},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-07-01},
urldate = {2024-06-23},
booktitle = {2019 IEEE World Haptics Conference (WHC)},
pages = {97–102},
publisher = {IEEE},
address = {Tokyo, Japan},
abstract = {Haptic devices worn on the forearm have the ability to provide communication while freeing the user’s hands for manipulation tasks. We introduce a multi-modal haptic device with a rigid rotational housing and three soft fiber-constrained linear pneumatic actuators. Soft pneumatic actuators are used because of their compliance, light weight, and simplicity, while rigid components provide robust and precise control. The soft pneumatic actuators provide linear horizontal and vertical movements, and the rigid housing, affixed to a motor, provides rotational movement of the tactor. The device can produce normal, shear, vibration, and torsion skin deformation cues by combining the movement of the soft pneumatic actuators with the rotational housing. The tactor is able to provide a shear force of up to 0.47 N and a normal force of up to 1.3 N. To elucidate the physical design principle and the actuation strategy, the static force and displacement of the soft tactor are modeled as a function of material, design parameters, and pressure. The models were validated experimentally.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Haptic devices worn on the forearm have the ability to provide communication while freeing the user’s hands for manipulation tasks. We introduce a multi-modal haptic device with a rigid rotational housing and three soft fiber-constrained linear pneumatic actuators. Soft pneumatic actuators are used because of their compliance, light weight, and simplicity, while rigid components provide robust and precise control. The soft pneumatic actuators provide linear horizontal and vertical movements, and the rigid housing, affixed to a motor, provides rotational movement of the tactor. The device can produce normal, shear, vibration, and torsion skin deformation cues by combining the movement of the soft pneumatic actuators with the rotational housing. The tactor is able to provide a shear force of up to 0.47 N and a normal force of up to 1.3 N. To elucidate the physical design principle and the actuation strategy, the static force and displacement of the soft tactor are modeled as a function of material, design parameters, and pressure. The models were validated experimentally.
29.
Yoshida, Kyle T.; Nunez, Cara M.; Williams, Sophia R.; Okamura, Allison M.; Luo, Ming
3-DoF Wearable, Pneumatic Haptic Device to Deliver Normal, Shear, Vibration, and Torsion Feedback Proceedings Article
In: 2019 IEEE World Haptics Conference (WHC), pp. 97–102, IEEE, Tokyo, Japan, 2019, ISBN: 978-1-5386-9461-9.
@inproceedings{yoshida_3-dof_2019,
title = {3-DoF Wearable, Pneumatic Haptic Device to Deliver Normal, Shear, Vibration, and Torsion Feedback},
author = {Kyle T. Yoshida and Cara M. Nunez and Sophia R. Williams and Allison M. Okamura and Ming Luo},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8816084/},
doi = {10.1109/WHC.2019.8816084},
isbn = {978-1-5386-9461-9},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-07-01},
urldate = {2024-06-23},
booktitle = {2019 IEEE World Haptics Conference (WHC)},
pages = {97–102},
publisher = {IEEE},
address = {Tokyo, Japan},
abstract = {Haptic devices worn on the forearm have the ability to provide communication while freeing the user’s hands for manipulation tasks. We introduce a multi-modal haptic device with a rigid rotational housing and three soft fiber-constrained linear pneumatic actuators. Soft pneumatic actuators are used because of their compliance, light weight, and simplicity, while rigid components provide robust and precise control. The soft pneumatic actuators provide linear horizontal and vertical movements, and the rigid housing, affixed to a motor, provides rotational movement of the tactor. The device can produce normal, shear, vibration, and torsion skin deformation cues by combining the movement of the soft pneumatic actuators with the rotational housing. The tactor is able to provide a shear force of up to 0.47 N and a normal force of up to 1.3 N. To elucidate the physical design principle and the actuation strategy, the static force and displacement of the soft tactor are modeled as a function of material, design parameters, and pressure. The models were validated experimentally.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Haptic devices worn on the forearm have the ability to provide communication while freeing the user’s hands for manipulation tasks. We introduce a multi-modal haptic device with a rigid rotational housing and three soft fiber-constrained linear pneumatic actuators. Soft pneumatic actuators are used because of their compliance, light weight, and simplicity, while rigid components provide robust and precise control. The soft pneumatic actuators provide linear horizontal and vertical movements, and the rigid housing, affixed to a motor, provides rotational movement of the tactor. The device can produce normal, shear, vibration, and torsion skin deformation cues by combining the movement of the soft pneumatic actuators with the rotational housing. The tactor is able to provide a shear force of up to 0.47 N and a normal force of up to 1.3 N. To elucidate the physical design principle and the actuation strategy, the static force and displacement of the soft tactor are modeled as a function of material, design parameters, and pressure. The models were validated experimentally.
30.
Kanjanapas, Smita; Nunez, Cara M.; Williams, Sophia R.; Okamura, Allison M.; Luo, Ming
Design and Analysis of Pneumatic 2-DoF Soft Haptic Devices for Shear Display Journal Article
In: IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 1365–1371, 2019, ISSN: 2377-3766, (Conference Name: IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters).
@article{kanjanapas_design_2019,
title = {Design and Analysis of Pneumatic 2-DoF Soft Haptic Devices for Shear Display},
author = {Smita Kanjanapas and Cara M. Nunez and Sophia R. Williams and Allison M. Okamura and Ming Luo},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8629027},
doi = {10.1109/LRA.2019.2895890},
issn = {2377-3766},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-04-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
journal = {IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters},
volume = {4},
number = {2},
pages = {1365–1371},
abstract = {Haptic devices use touch to enable communication in a salient and private manner. While most haptic devices are held or worn at the hand, there is recent interest in developing wearable haptic devices for the arms. This frees the hands for manipulation tasks, but creates challenges for wearability. One approach is to use pneumatically driven soft haptic devices that, compared to rigid devices, can be more readily worn due to their form factor and light weight. We propose a two-degree of freedom (2-DOF) pneumatic soft linear tactor that can be mounted on the forearm and provide shear force. The tactor is comprised of four soft fiber-constrained linear pneumatic actuators connected to a dome-shaped tactor head. The tactor can provide fast, repeatable forces on the order of 1 N in shear, in various directions in the plane of the skin surface. We demonstrate the tradeoffs of two housing schemes, one soft and one rigid, that mount the pneumatic soft linear actuator to the forearm. A user study demonstrated the performance of both versions of the device in providing directional cues, highlighting the challenges and importance of grounding soft wearable devices and the difficulties of designing haptic devices given the perceptual limits of the human forearm.},
note = {Conference Name: IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Haptic devices use touch to enable communication in a salient and private manner. While most haptic devices are held or worn at the hand, there is recent interest in developing wearable haptic devices for the arms. This frees the hands for manipulation tasks, but creates challenges for wearability. One approach is to use pneumatically driven soft haptic devices that, compared to rigid devices, can be more readily worn due to their form factor and light weight. We propose a two-degree of freedom (2-DOF) pneumatic soft linear tactor that can be mounted on the forearm and provide shear force. The tactor is comprised of four soft fiber-constrained linear pneumatic actuators connected to a dome-shaped tactor head. The tactor can provide fast, repeatable forces on the order of 1 N in shear, in various directions in the plane of the skin surface. We demonstrate the tradeoffs of two housing schemes, one soft and one rigid, that mount the pneumatic soft linear actuator to the forearm. A user study demonstrated the performance of both versions of the device in providing directional cues, highlighting the challenges and importance of grounding soft wearable devices and the difficulties of designing haptic devices given the perceptual limits of the human forearm.
31.
Yoshida, Kyle T.; Nunez, Cara M.; Williams, Sophia R.; Okamura, Allison M.; Luo, Ming
3-DoF Wearable, Pneumatic Haptic Device to Deliver Normal, Shear, Vibration, and Torsion Feedback Proceedings Article
In: IEEE World Haptics Conference, pp. 97–102, 2019.
@inproceedings{Yoshida20193DoFSoft,
title = {3-DoF Wearable, Pneumatic Haptic Device to Deliver Normal, Shear, Vibration, and Torsion Feedback},
author = {Kyle T. Yoshida and Cara M. Nunez and Sophia R. Williams and Allison M. Okamura and Ming Luo},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
booktitle = {IEEE World Haptics Conference},
pages = {97–102},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
32.
Kanjanapas, Smita; Nunez, Cara M.; Williams, Sophia R.; Okamura, Allison M.; Luo, Ming
Design and Analysis of Pneumatic 2-DoF Soft Haptic Devices for Shear Display Journal Article
In: IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 1365–1371, 2019.
@article{kanjanapas2019design,
title = {Design and Analysis of Pneumatic 2-DoF Soft Haptic Devices for Shear Display},
author = {Smita Kanjanapas and Cara M. Nunez and Sophia R. Williams and Allison M. Okamura and Ming Luo},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
journal = {IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters},
volume = {4},
number = {2},
pages = {1365–1371},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
33.
Nunez, Cara M.; Williams, Sophia R.; Okamura, Allison M.; Culbertson, Heather
Understanding Continuous and Pleasant Linear Sensations on the Forearm from a Sequential Discrete Lateral Skin-Slip Haptic Device Journal Article
In: IEEE Transactions on Haptics, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 414–427, 2019.
@article{Nunez2019Skin-Slip,
title = {Understanding Continuous and Pleasant Linear Sensations on the Forearm from a Sequential Discrete Lateral Skin-Slip Haptic Device},
author = {Cara M. Nunez and Sophia R. Williams and Allison M. Okamura and Heather Culbertson},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics},
volume = {12},
number = {4},
pages = {414–427},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
2018
34.
Culbertson, Heather; Nunez, Cara M.; Israr, Ali; Lau, Frances; Abnousi, Freddy; Okamura, Allison M.
A social haptic device to create continuous lateral motion using sequential normal indentation Proceedings Article
In: 2018 IEEE Haptics Symposium (HAPTICS), pp. 32–39, IEEE, San Francisco, CA, 2018, ISBN: 978-1-5386-5424-8.
@inproceedings{culbertson_social_2018,
title = {A social haptic device to create continuous lateral motion using sequential normal indentation},
author = {Heather Culbertson and Cara M. Nunez and Ali Israr and Frances Lau and Freddy Abnousi and Allison M. Okamura},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8357149/},
doi = {10.1109/HAPTICS.2018.8357149},
isbn = {978-1-5386-5424-8},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-03-01},
urldate = {2024-06-23},
booktitle = {2018 IEEE Haptics Symposium (HAPTICS)},
pages = {32–39},
publisher = {IEEE},
address = {San Francisco, CA},
abstract = {Touch is an essential method for communicating emotions between individuals. Humans use a variety of different gestures to convey these emotions, including squeezes, pats, and strokes. This paper presents a device for creating a continuous lateral motion on the arm to mimic a subset of the gestures used in social touch. The device is composed of a linear array of voice coil actuators that is embedded in a fabric sleeve. The voice coils are controlled to sequentially press into the user’s arm to create the sensation of linear travel up the arm. We evaluate the device in a human-subject study to confirm that a linear lateral motion can be created using only normal force, and to determine the optimal actuation parameters for creating a continuous and pleasant sensation. The results of the study indicated that the voice coils should be controlled with a long duration for each indentation and a short delay between the onset of indentation between adjacent actuators to maximize both continuity and pleasantness.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Touch is an essential method for communicating emotions between individuals. Humans use a variety of different gestures to convey these emotions, including squeezes, pats, and strokes. This paper presents a device for creating a continuous lateral motion on the arm to mimic a subset of the gestures used in social touch. The device is composed of a linear array of voice coil actuators that is embedded in a fabric sleeve. The voice coils are controlled to sequentially press into the user’s arm to create the sensation of linear travel up the arm. We evaluate the device in a human-subject study to confirm that a linear lateral motion can be created using only normal force, and to determine the optimal actuation parameters for creating a continuous and pleasant sensation. The results of the study indicated that the voice coils should be controlled with a long duration for each indentation and a short delay between the onset of indentation between adjacent actuators to maximize both continuity and pleasantness.
35.
Culbertson, Heather; Nunez, Cara M.; Israr, Ali; Lau, Frances; Abnousi, Freddy; Okamura, Allison M.
A social haptic device to create continuous lateral motion using sequential normal indentation Proceedings Article
In: 2018 IEEE Haptics Symposium (HAPTICS), pp. 32-39, 2018.
@inproceedings{8357149,
title = {A social haptic device to create continuous lateral motion using sequential normal indentation},
author = {Heather Culbertson and Cara M. Nunez and Ali Israr and Frances Lau and Freddy Abnousi and Allison M. Okamura},
doi = {10.1109/HAPTICS.2018.8357149},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
urldate = {2018-01-01},
booktitle = {2018 IEEE Haptics Symposium (HAPTICS)},
pages = {32-39},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
36.
Culbertson, Heather; Nunez, Cara M.; Israr, Ali; Lau, Frances; Abnousi, Freddy; Okamura, Allison M.
A Social Haptic Device to Create Continuous Lateral Motion Using Sequential Normal Indentation Proceedings Article
In: IEEE Haptics Symposium, pp. 32–39, 2018.
@inproceedings{Culbertson2018NormalIndent,
title = {A Social Haptic Device to Create Continuous Lateral Motion Using
Sequential Normal Indentation},
author = {Heather Culbertson and Cara M. Nunez and Ali Israr and Frances Lau and Freddy Abnousi and Allison M. Okamura},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
booktitle = {IEEE Haptics Symposium},
pages = {32–39},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
2016
37.
Amiri, Amir Mohammad; Abtahi, Mohammadreza; Nunez, Cara; Mankodiya, Kunal
Human motion identification using functional near-infrared spectroscopy and smartwatch Proceedings Article
In: 2016 10th International Symposium on Medical Information and Communication Technology (ISMICT), pp. 1–2, 2016, (ISSN: 2326-8301).
@inproceedings{amiri_human_2016,
title = {Human motion identification using functional near-infrared spectroscopy and smartwatch},
author = {Amir Mohammad Amiri and Mohammadreza Abtahi and Cara Nunez and Kunal Mankodiya},
url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7498909},
doi = {10.1109/ISMICT.2016.7498909},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-03-01},
urldate = {2025-01-19},
booktitle = {2016 10th International Symposium on Medical Information and Communication Technology (ISMICT)},
pages = {1–2},
abstract = {Copious amounts of people around the globe currently suffer from ailments in moving, which range from neurodegenerative diseases to colossal accidents. In this study, oxygenated hemoglobin of the brain is monitored using a functional near infrared spectroscopy coupled with a smart watch to detect kinetic activity. It was seen that as participants flipped their left or right hands, at different speeds, there was a detectable increase in oxygenated hemoglobin in the cerebral motor cortex. These promising results could later be used in the advancement of applications based around telehealthcare and brain-computer interface.},
note = {ISSN: 2326-8301},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Copious amounts of people around the globe currently suffer from ailments in moving, which range from neurodegenerative diseases to colossal accidents. In this study, oxygenated hemoglobin of the brain is monitored using a functional near infrared spectroscopy coupled with a smart watch to detect kinetic activity. It was seen that as participants flipped their left or right hands, at different speeds, there was a detectable increase in oxygenated hemoglobin in the cerebral motor cortex. These promising results could later be used in the advancement of applications based around telehealthcare and brain-computer interface.