Airscapes - Shaping Interactions with Mid-Air Haptics

What are the most effective ways to design Air-based Mid-Air Haptics (MAHs) that communicate feedback and information to users in a clear and intuitive manner?

Demonstrator with implemented Mid-Air Haptics

In order to answer this, I consider two factors that have shown to be important when working with haptic feedback systems. Firstly, the threshold of perception will be determined

in a small scale experiment. In here we will learn the necessary intensity levels of different types of air based MAHs for them to be noticeable.

Test Setup for Differential Experiment and Semantics Questionnaire

After this perception threshold is established, a distinction threshold experiment will be performed. In this experiment I will determine how well participants are able to distinguish

the different MAHs on the palm of their hand.

Take-out from results, showing some unity in semantics and viable results for differential study

Additionally, participants are asked to partake in a semantic differential-inspired study. Questionnaires are filled out that focus on the semantic meanings that participants

give to the different types of air-based MAHs. A prototype was created as a product of this research, combining the qualitative and quantitative data retrieved during the study.