Email: rajinder.sodhi [at] disneyresearch [dot] com, ivan.poupyrev [at] disneyresearch [dot] com
Gallery
The AIREAL device emits a ring of air called a vortex towards a user’s hand. The vortex can impart a force on the user’s hand, enabling a range of dynamic free air sensations.
A fully assembled AIREAL device. Aside from the motors and speakers, the majority of the device is 3D printed.
A volume of air is pushed out of the enclosure and pinches off from the aperture of the nozzle, resulting in a ring of air directed at an object in 3D space.
A paper target was used to measure the accuracy performance. We show the target at its resting and hit state.
An illustration showing how a virtual butterfly can deliver free air sensations using two or more AIREAL devices.
Continuous free air sensations can be felt around the user with multiple AIREAL devices synchronously communicating with each other.
Persistent haptic spaces act as virtual 3D buttons allowing users to feel physical feedback when performing swipe gestures to scroll through images.
Free air haptics can be delivered to the real world where physical objects like a plant leaf can react to the movement of a virtual butterfly’s wings.
Multiple AIREAL devices can work together to support a tactile feedback when a user interacts with a virtual soccer ball.
An exploded view, showing the 3D printed enclosure, the speakers, pan and tilt motors, gimbal strucutre and flexible nozzle.
The various nozzle shapes and apertures tested and the final nozzle selection and its flexible equivalent.
The spatial accuracy measurement shows red circles which act as targets for the vortices emitted from the flexible aperture.
A projected butterfly is simultaneously collocated with free air sensations simulating a real butterfly on a user’s hand.
A user plays a game where a virtual seagull flies around the user’s head, simulating the wake of the seagull.
Free air sensations can be delivered to a user that map to a wide range of textures. Here a user can control a virtual character moving over textures such as water and grass.