Interesting and key passages:
“Haptic is from the Greek “haptesthai,” meaning to touch.” (1)
“Scientists have studied haptics for decades, and they know quite a bit about the biology of touch. They know, for example, what kind of receptors are in the skin and how nerves shuttle information back and forth between the central nervous system and the point of contact.” (1)
“But how can a user touch what’s inside the virtual world? How, for example, can a video game player feel the hard, cold steel of his or her character’s weapon? How can an astronaut, training in a computer simulator, feel the weight and rough texture of a virtual moon rock?” (1)
“Scientists quantify this dexterity using a concept known as degrees of freedom. A degree of freedom is movement afforded by a single joint. Because the human hand contains 22 joints, it allows movement with 22 degrees of freedom. ” (2)
“When we use our hands to explore the world around us, we receive two types of feedback — kinesthetic and tactile. ” (2) ***Interesting. When Halverson claims that two things are needed for students to learn–interaction and feedback–we don’t usually think multimodally about those things. I guess audio is used more often now…
“… if a person is to feel a virtual object with any fidelity, force feedback is exactly the kind of information the person must receive.” (3)
“…the actual process used by the software to perform its calculations is called haptic rendering. ” (4)
“With the CyberGrasp system, users are able to feel the size and shape of virtual objects that only exist in a computer-generated world.” (4)
This article is a great example of how “disability studies” focuses on enriching life for everyone: tech that is. “Computer scientists in Greece are incorporating haptic technology into touchable maps for the blind.”
” It won’t be long before astronomers and planet scientists actually hold and manipulate a Martian rock through an advanced haptics-enabled telerobot — a high-touch version of the Mars Exploration Rover.” (5) ***You can be there without being there. Certainly this complicates notions of place.
“In video games, the addition of haptic capabilities is nice to have. It increases the reality of the game and, as a result, the user’s satisfaction. But in training and other applications, haptic interfaces are vital. That’s because the sense of touch conveys rich and detailed information about an object. When it’s combined with other senses, especially sight, touch dramatically increases the amount of information that is sent to the brain for processing. The increase in information reduces user error, as well as the time it takes to complete a task. It also reduces the energy consumption and the magnitudes of contact forces used in a teleoperation situation.” (6)
***
Why are we reading this article? This week’s readings are labeled “Digital Rhetoric Defined”; how does this article inform an understanding of the definition of “digital rhetoric”?
Aside from the obvious pun on the word “digital”….
“Haptic tech” perhaps illustrates the small bridge between the “digital” and the “real.” When we think of haptic technology, and the way the mode of touch functions as a way we receive information, we begin to question whether or not “digital” creates a useful distinction as an adjective.
Also, if we consider touch as a means of receiving information, then how does rhetoric function through this information channel? I think of Losh’s questions for a definition of “digital rhetoric” here. It begs us to look at how this tech is being designed and implemented: what ideologies underlie the design and functionality? Are they liberatory? Or hegemonic?
Tasnia Jubery says
I loved this article about the use of haptic technology. With the numerous technological advances, there are many ways to be involved with the science around us. The sense that we almost always end up using is touch, so it is easier for people to engage and perceive. It is almost necessary to hear the tone when a text is sent, or feel the vibration when someone calls, in means of alerting the individual. Personally, I believe that haptic technology is definitely necessary in our society, with all the new innovations that have risen. It increases the alertness and as a result, it provides more of a realistic experience.
PDArrington says
(20) I love this idea that feeling/touch “alerts” people. Does that mean that without touch–with the visual/audio/alphabetic modes only–we are somehow not fully alive or aware? And what do you mean by “it is almost necessary to hear the tone when a text is sent…”? Necessary for what?