Haptic Interaction Methods for Freehand Contour Generation on a Refreshable Pin Display

Abstract Emerging surface haptic display technology holds promise for enhancing manual interactions such as contour drawing, a task that requires simultaneous generation and sensing for accurate control of the emerging shape. Existing haptic technology enabling tactile drawing is primarily restricted to niche and expensive products for blind accessibility, and the advantages and optimal strategies of engaging with tactile feedback remain unclear. This study compares three tactile interaction methods for contour drawing using a refreshable pin array: input directly on the pin surface with a finger, input on the surface using a stylus, and input on a peripheral screen while the tactile feedback is felt on the pin surface with one’s other hand. A user study investigating contour generation performance using these three different methods found that individual contour properties had greater impacts on drawing accuracy than interaction methods and that accuracy does not always correlate with user perception of performance across methods. Experimental observations highlight several strategies and hand postures users adopted to leverage each interaction method. These results can serve as a guide to developing robust feedback systems for contour drawing on future iterations of surface haptic interface technology.