Toward real-time volume-based haptic communication with realistic sensation

A volume-based realistic communication system called Haptic Communication is described. The system allows participants to interact in real time with others at remote locations on the network using haptic perception (sense of touch) of soft objects in virtual environments. We constructed the system so that it provides a sense of touch at remote locations in real time. First, an adaptive volume model represents virtual soft objects in PCs at remote locations. Next, the reflection force of the soft object is calculated rapidly and accurately from the parameters of positions and forces at contacting points transmitted via network at each PC. Eventually, the haptic and visual information are rendered by a haptic device (PHANToM) and a volume graphic software in the PCs. We investigated the efficiency of our system via experiments on a simulation of needle insertion with high force feedback rates at two remote locations on a WAN between Ritsumeikan University, Biwako Kusutsu Campus and Shiga Medical University. The experiment results show that the delay due to network truffic is negligible.