Demonstrating HUGO, a High-Resolution Tactile Emulator for Complex Surfaces

We demonstrate HUGO, a novel device developed to deliver enhanced tactile feedback and facilitate interaction with real-world surfaces. The device aims to overcome the limitations of existing cutaneous feedback devices, which often provide a restricted range of sensations and are primarily tested on simple synthetic surfaces. HUGO was meticulously designed through a human-centered process to enable users to experience realistic touch sensations encountered in various real-world scenarios. HUGO utilizes a parallel manipulator and a pin-array mechanism that operate concurrently at a frequency of up to 200Hz to simulate both coarse and fine geometrical features. By employing a high operation frequency and decomposing the tactile feedback into distinct features, HUGO enables a more accurate replication of tactile experiences associated with different surfaces. The demonstration will showcase HUGO's capabilities in providing authentic haptic feedback. This includes facilitating social interactions, enhancing e-commerce experiences, and improving gaming interactions through realistic haptic engagement with real-world surfaces.