The "Proactive Desk" is a new human-machine interface for the desktop operations of computers. It provides users with tactile sensation in addition to visual sensation. Two linear induction motors underneath the desk generate a two-dimensional force to move objects and control their positions on the desktop using feedback control, and users feel tactile sensation while handling those objects. In this paper, we examined the effects of adding haptic information to simple mouse operation using the Proactive Desk. In our experiment, we used a button-type visual stimulus with and without haptic information. When using haptic conditions, three types of force feedback pattern were displayed: "Edge," "Resistance to motion" and "Attractive force," and each had three force strength conditions: no, half and full. The subject was asked to push buttons twenty times as the buttons were shown one after the other on the desk as quickly as possible. Consequently, the reaction times for pushing the button for all haptic conditions, except for the half-force condition of "Attractive force," were significantly faster than no-force (without haptic information) condition. This result shows that the haptic information was advantageous for easy operation.

Many immersive displays developed in previous researches are strongly influenced by the design concept of the CAVE, which is the origin of the immersive displays. In the view of human-scale interactive system for virtual environment (VE), the existing immersive systems are not enough to use the potential of a human sense further extent. The displays require more complicated structure for flexible extension, and are more restrictive to user's movement. Therefore we propose a novel multi-projector display for immersive VE with haptic interface for more flexible and dynamic interaction. The display part of our system named "D-vision" has a hybrid curved screen which consist of compound prototype with flat and curve screen. This renders images seamlessly in real time, and generates high-quality stereovision by PC cluster and two-pass technology. Furthermore a human-scale string-based haptic device will integrate with the D-vision for more interactive and immersive VE. In this paper, we show an overview of the D-vision and technologies used for the human-scale haptic interface.

For constructing the next generation education system, we have developed a new human-scale virtual reality interface device called Big-SPIDAR. This device can provide not only the visual and auditory information but also haptic/kinaesthetic display. And it has the capability for the operator or participant to move around inside it. In this paper, we introduce the construction of this interface device and show the evaluation experiments and application systems realized by proposed device.

This paper describes the results of tests that measured the allowable delay between images and tactile information via a force feedback device. In order to investigate the allowable delay, two experiments were performed: 1) subjective evaluation in real space and 2) subjective evaluation in virtual space using a force feedback device.