Piezoelectric actuator for a force-feedback application: preliminary evaluation

Gaston M'Boungui (1, 2) , Betty Lemaire-Semail (1, 2) , Frédéric Giraud (2, 1)

1 MINT - Methods and tools for gestural interactions
2 L2EP - Laboratoire d’Électrotechnique et d’Électronique de Puissance - ULR 2697

As a solution to the lack of compactness and simplicity often encountered in haptic interfaces, we propose a device based on friction coefficient control principle. This device includes polarised piezoceramics well adjusted and glued to a 64x38x3 mm copper-beryllium plate supported by four legs. Then, properly energised around a resonant frequency, with legs at antinodes, a stationary wave is created in the plate. Variable friction forces between the legs and the plane substrate are created by the control of the wave amplitude, according to electro-active lubrication. So the user obtains force feedback by holding the plate, and moving it on a plane substrate, as he could do with a mouse interface. Preliminary psychophysical evaluation trends to assess the validity of the device as a force feedback interface.

Mots clés: piezoelectric actuator; psychophysical evaluation; force feedback; electro-active lubrication

Domaines: Energie électrique

Gaston M'Boungui, Betty Lemaire-Semail, Frédéric Giraud. Piezoelectric actuator for a force-feedback application: preliminary evaluation. EuroHaptics conference, 2009 and Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems. World Haptics 2009. Third Joint, Mar 2009, Salt Lake City, United States. pp.85-90, ⟨10.1109/WHC.2009.4810841⟩. ⟨hal-01111811⟩