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86. 3D BUMP


Engineers at Disney Research, Pittsburgh, have developed a new technique that allows us to feel the texture of objects seen on a flat touchscreen.

The algorithm enables a person sliding a finger across a topographic map displayed on a touchscreen to feel the bumps and curves of hills and valleys, despite the screen’s smooth surface.

The technique is based on the fact that when a person slides a finger over a real physical bump, he perceives the bump largely because lateral friction forces stretch and compress skin on the sliding finger.

By altering the friction encountered as a person’s fingertip glides across a surface, the Disney algorithm can create a perception of a 3D bump on a touch surface.