We are interested in developing wearables that provide vibration-based sensations conveying the texture and material properties of different VR objects while optimizing actuator type, control, and placement.

To create a vibration-based texture sensation, we need to mimic the vibrations induced in the skin during texture exploration. The characteristics of this vibration depend on the texture and – more importantly – on our sliding speed.

Modulating vibration frequency as a function of sliding speed, however, can be non-trivial for actuators with limited or sensitive frequency responses. We are exploring alternative methods of creating the sensation of vibration frequency change by instead modulating amplitudes of a few select frequencies, or Pseudo-frequency Modulation (PFM).