HaptiHug: A Novel Haptic Display for Communication of Hug over a Distance
The motivation behind our work is to enrich social interaction and emotional involvement of the users of online communication media. The paper focuses on a novel haptic display HaptiHug for the representation of hug over a distance by means of online communication system supporting haptic feedback. The system integrates 3D virtual world Second Life, intelligent component for automatic recognition of hug cue from text messages, and innovative affective haptic interface providing additional nonverbal communication channel through simulation of social touch. Based on the real data (the pressure and duration of the interpersonal hug) the control system generates a signal that produces the feelings similar to the real hugging sensations. User study revealed that social pseudo touch was successful in increasing the hugging immersion as well as hugging sensation.
EuroHaptics