A Wearable Fingertip Force Feedback Device System for Object Stiffness Sensing

Virtual reality technology brings a new experience to human-computer interaction, while wearable force feedback devices can enhance the immersion of users in interaction. This paper proposes a wearable fingertip force feedback device that uses a tendon drive mechanism, with the aim of simulating the stiffness characteristics of objects within virtual scenes. The device adjusts the rotation angle of the torsion spring through a DC motor, and then uses a wire to convert the torque into a feedback force at the user’s index fingertips, with an output force of up to 4 N and a force change rate of up to 10 N/s. This paper introduces the mechanical structure and design process of the force feedback device, and conducts a mechanical analysis of the device to select the appropriate components. Physical and psychological experiments are conducted to comprehensively evaluate the device’s performance in conveying object stiffness information. The results show that the device can simulate different stiffness characteristics of objects, and users can distinguish objects with different stiffness characteristics well when wearing the force feedback device and interacting with the three-dimensional virtual environments.