IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - March 2017 - 76

CAD (WoodenHaptics uses Solidworks), in two-dimensional vector graphics software (modifications through
free software such as Inkscape), and after fabrication,
using carpentry hand tools. The ability to engrave text on
parts could be used to assist in the sorting of parts to their
logical subassemblies, that is, for the bodies A, B, and C of
the WoodenHaptics device.
A challenge for the stacked plywood method is the variance in quality and thickness of the plywood sheets and the
inconsistency in the precision of the cuts, especially if a
service provider is contracted. However, the existence of
laser-cutting firms that can ship internationally and repeatedly reproduce a design within tolerances can be a key to
wider dissipation and sharing of different designs within the
community. For WoodenHaptics, we have uploaded the
exact files and manufacturing instructions used for a
successful order of laser-cut plywood and PCBs. Providing a
complete bill of materials, including the exact choice of
default components and suppliers that ship internationally,
is important for allowing the user to choose when to go for
the default and when to substitute and do the necessary
adjustments to retain compatibility with the rest (Table 3).
The sourcing process could be further assisted through
open-hardware-facilitating companies that provide complete physical kits or modules. Finally, as affordable 3-D
printing technologies improve (with tens of microns precision features) and options for high-stiffness and low-mass
materials such as aluminum extrusions are able to be formed
in a precise manner, we foresee that the WoodenHaptics
hardware could be fabricated using 3-D printing as well.
The WoodenHaptics project is maintained at http://www
.woodenhaptics.org.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Reuben Brewer and Ken
Salisbury (Stanford University), Adam Leeper (Google),
François Conti (Force Dimension), and Jordi Solsona
(KTH) for their assistance and insight in the formation and
development of this project. We also thank Eva-Lotta
Sallnäs Pysander and Ylva Fernaeus (KTH) for supporting the project.
References
[1] K. Salisbury, F. Conti, and F. Barbagli, "Haptic rendering: Introductory concepts," IEEE Comput. Graph. Appl. Mag., vol. 24, no. 2, pp.
24-32, 2004.
[2] T. H. Massie and J. K. Salisbury, "The PHANToM haptic interface:
A device for probing virtual objects," in Proc. Haptic Symp., Chicago,
IL, vol. 55, no. 1, 1994, pp. 295-300.
[3] J. Forsslund, M. Yip, and E.-L. Sallnäs, "WoodenHaptics: A starting
kit for crafting force-reflecting spatial haptic devices," in Proc. 9th Int.
Conf. Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction, 2015, pp. 133-140.
[4] C. Moussette and R. Banks, "Designing through making: Exploring
the simple haptic design space," in Proc. 5th Int. Conf. Tangible and
Embedded Interaction, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, 2011, pp. 279-282.

76

*

IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

*

march 2017

[5] C. Salisbury, J. Salisbury, R. Gillespie, and N. Blevins, "A microsurgeryspecific haptic device for telerobotic medical treatment," in Proc. Emergency Preparedness and Response and Robot. Remote Syst. Topical Meeting
(12th Robot. and Remote Syst. Hazardous Environments/10th Emergency
Preparedness and Response), Albuquerque, NM, vol. 6, 2008, p. 404.
[6] P. G. Griffiths, R. B. Gillespie, and J. S. Freudenberg, "A fundamental
tradeoff between performance and sensitivity within haptic rendering," IEEE Trans. Robot., vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 537-548, 2008.
[7] T. A. Kern, Ed., Engineering Haptic Devices. London, U.K.: SpringerVerlag, 2009.
[8] V. Hayward and K. E. MacLean, "Do it yourself haptics: Part I,"
IEEE Robot. Autom. Mag., vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 88-104, 2007.
[9] S. Greenberg and C. Fitchett, "Phidgets: Easy development of physical interfaces through physical widgets," in Proc. ACM Symp. User
Interface Software and Technology, Orlando, FL, 2001, pp. 209-218.
[10] A. Knörig, R. Wettach, and J. Cohen, "Fritzing: A tool for advancing electronic prototyping for designers," in Proc. 3rd Int. Conf. Tangible and Embedded Interaction, Cambridge, U.K., 2009, pp. 351-358.
[11] D. A. Mellis, S. Jacoby, L. Buechley, H. Perner-Wilson, and J. Qi,
"Microcontrollers as material: Crafting circuits with paper, conductive
ink, electronic components, and an untoolkit," in Proc. 7th Int. Conf.
Tangible and Embedded Interaction, 2013, pp. 83-90.
[12] R. Sankaran, B. Ullmer, J. Ramanujam, K. Kallakuri, S. Jandhyala,
C. Toole, and C. Laan, "Decoupling interaction hardware design using
libraries of reusable electronics," in Proc. 3rd Int. Conf. Tangible and
Embedded Interaction, Cambridge, U.K., 2009, pp. 331-337.
[13] D. A. Mellis and L. Buechley, "Case studies in the personal fabrication of electronic products," in Proc. Designing Interactive Syst. Conf.,
2012, pp. 268-277.
[14] T. K. Morimoto, P. Blikstein, and A. M. Okamura, "[D81] Hapkit:
An open-hardware haptic device for online education," in Proc. IEEE
Haptics Symp. (HAPTICS), 2014, pp. 1-1.
[15] Chai3D. (2014). [Online]. Available: http://www.chai3d.org
[16] J. Y. Hung and Z. Ding, "Design of currents to reduce torque ripple
in brushless permanent magnet motors," IEE Proc. B: Electric Power
Applicat., vol. 140, no. 4, pp. 260-266, July 1993.
[17] W. McMahan and K. J. Kuchenbecker, "Displaying realistic contact
accelerations via a dedicated vibration actuator," in Proc. 3rd Joint
EuroHaptics Conf. and Symp. Haptic Interfaces Virtual Environment
and Teleoperator Syst. (WorldHaptics), 2009, pp. 613-614.
[18] J. Lazar, J. H. Feng, and H. Hochheiser, Research Methods in
Human-Computer Interaction. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2009.
[19] E. Von Hippel, "Perspective: User toolkits for innovation," J. Product Innovation Management, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 247-257, 2001.
[20] C. Moussette, "Simple haptics: Sketching perspectives for the
design of haptic interactions," Ph.D. dissertation, Umeå Inst. Design,
Faculty Sci. Technol., Umeå Univ., Sweden, 2012.

Michael Yip, Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering, University of California, San Diego. E-mail:
yip@ucsd.edu.
Jonas Forsslund, Forsslund Systems AB, Visby, Sweden. E-mail:
jonas@forsslund.org.
http://www http://www.woodenhaptics.org http://www.chai3d.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - March 2017
