REACH+: Extending the Reachability of Encountered-type Haptics Devices through Dynamic Redirection in VR

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Encountered-type haptic devices (EHDs) face a number of challenges when physically embodying content in a virtual environment, including workspace limits and device latency. To address these issues, we propose REACH+, a framework for dynamic visuo-haptic redirection to improve the perceived performance of EHDs during physical interaction in VR. Using this approach, we estimate the user’s arrival time to their intended target and redirect their hand to a point within the EHD’s spatio-temporally reachable space. We present an evaluation of this framework implemented with a desktop mobile robot in a 2D target selection task, tested at four robot speeds (20, 25, 30 and 35 cm/s). Results suggest that REACH+ can improve the performance of lower-speed EHDs, increasing their rate of on-time arrival to the point of contact by up to 25% and improving users’ self-reported sense of realism.