Conor P. O'sullivan

Audio-haptic feedback in mobile phones

A new breed of mobile phones has been designed to enable concurrent vibration and audio stimulation, or audio-haptics. This paper aims to share techniques for creating and optimizing audio-haptic effects to enhance the user interface.The authors present audio manipulation techniques specific to the multifunction transducer (MFT) technology. In particular two techniques, the Haptic Inheritance and Synthesis and Matching methods are discussed. These two methods of haptic media generation allow simple creation of vibration content, and also allow for compatibility with non-haptic mobile devices.The authors present preliminary results of an evaluation of 42 participants comparing audio-based haptic user interface (UI) feedback with audio-only feedback. The results show that users were receptive to audio-haptic UI feedback. The results also suggest that audio-haptics seems to enhance the perception of audio quality.

An Audio-Haptic Aesthetic Framework Influenced by Visual Theory

Sound is touch at a distance. The vibration of pressure waves in the air creates sounds that our ears hear, at close range, these pressure waves may also be felt as vibration. This audio-haptic relationship has potential for enriching interaction in human-computer interfaces. How can interface designers manipulate attention using audio-haptic media? We propose a theoretical perceptual framework for design of audio-haptic media, influenced by aesthetic frameworks in visual theory and audio design. The aesthetic issues of the multimodal interplay between audio and haptic modalities are presented, with discussion based on anecdotes from multimedia artists. We use the aesthetic theory to develop four design mechanisms for transition between audio and haptic channels:synchronization, temporal linearization, maskingandsynchresis. An example composition using these mechanisms, and the multisensory design intent, is discussed by the designers.

Method and device for controlling vibrational and light effects using instrument definitions in an audio file format

An audio file format is provided, which includes definitions for one or more instruments, and definitions for one or more notes, that are associated with one or more vibrational element groupings, where each vibrational element grouping includes one or more vibration sources. Received commands present in the audio file, and associated with a note and an instrument definition, are compared to determine if the associated note and instrument definitions correspond to one of the one or more vibrational element groupings. If the associated instrument definition corresponds to a vibrational element grouping, then the commands are mapped to corresponding vibrational effects, and the actuation of the one or more vibration sources of the respective vibrational element grouping is controlled. If the associated instrument definition of the received command corresponds to an audio instrument, then an audible output is controlled in accordance with the received command.