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Surfing the Web Haptically

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the useful-interaction-or-maybe-just-buzz dept.

Chakat sent us a story about Haptic feedback, a buzzword ready technology where the mouse provides tactile feedback in addition to letting you click on your porn. Seriously I would love a bit of feedback when my mouse moves over a button or a link: Sorta like how modern window managers can snap borders to edges of other windows or the screen when moving or resizing... I think that a similar tactile thing for buttons would ease mouse navigation. Or else I can just continue binding ridiculous things like Ctrl-Alt-Shift-Meta-F8 to every little action.

4 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. Attractive nuisance by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 5, Funny

    Seriously I would love a bit of feedback when my mouse moves over a button or a link: Sorta like how modern window managers can snap borders to edges of other windows or the screen when moving or resizing...

    But imagine the virtual "gravity well" sucking your mouse into the ad banners.

    Brings a whole new meaning to "real time black hole".

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
  2. Re:again.. WTF by big.ears · · Score: 5, Informative

    There are two problems with thiis:

    (1) It doesn't do much good, aside from annoying the user. Haptic sensory information must travel much further than visual info, and the sensory transducers are not really low-latency, so by the time you feel the icon, its too late--You have already used your visual system to hone in on the target, and so you already know you are there (cf. Fitts's Law). I know that some people think these force-feedback mice are cool, but whenever I have used one, I just feel like some gunk is stuck on my mouse ball.

    (2) Its not available for Linux--which is why CT might be unaware of it.

  3. UNC's use of haptic interfaces by LeftHanded · · Score: 5, Interesting

    UNC has been using haptic interfaces, in conjunction with VR technology, to allow [bio]chemists the ability to 'assemble' new compounds at the atomic level. The researchers have grappling arms attached to their hands. The atomic repulsion/attraction is felt by the user, and can be used to figure out how the atoms / molecules should join together.

    --
    I think...I think it's in my basement. Let me go upstairs and check. -M.C. Escher (1898-1972)
    1. Re:UNC's use of haptic interfaces by LeftHanded · · Score: 5, Informative

      And here is the URL for the research: http://www.cs.unc.edu/Research/force/

      --
      I think...I think it's in my basement. Let me go upstairs and check. -M.C. Escher (1898-1972)