Contact: A Handheld Haptic Controller With Tactile and Force Feedback Integration

ConTact is a multimodal handheld haptic game controller designed to enhance user immersion through precise cutaneous and passive force feedback. Unlike conventional modern vibration-based controllers, ConTact integrates dual P20 braille cells for high-resolution tactile sensation and a passive articulated mechanical arm to reproduce tension and force resistance when performing the different in-game motions. It features motion-based controls, integrated with a simple simulator game prototype developed in Unity to demonstrate its control and haptic capabilities. A <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$1: 1$</tex> response evaluation confirms the accuracy of the output of the tactile pin arrays, while a motion fidelity assessment verifies the feasibility of the motion-based controls as in-game interactions. ConTact opens possibilities beyond entertainment, with potential applications for training and rehabilitation aid, offering a unique and different perspective of haptic interaction in handheld devices.