Disney unveils 'tactile' algorithm to fool brain into feeling texture

By altering the friction encountered as a person’s fingertip glides across a surface, the Disney algorithm can reportedly create a perception of a 3D bump on a touch surface without having to physically move the surface. The method can be used to simulate the feel of a wide variety of objects and textures.

According to a statement, the algorithm is based on a discovery that when a person slides a finger over a real physical bump, the person perceives the bump largely because lateral friction forces stretch and compress skin on the sliding finger.

‘Our brain perceives the 3D bump on a surface mostly from information that it receives via skin stretching,’ said Ivan Poupyrev, who directs Disney Research, Pittsburgh’s Interaction Group. ‘Therefore, if we can artificially stretch skin on a finger as it slides on the touch screen, the brain will be fooled into thinking an actual physical bump is on a touch screen even though the touch surface is completely smooth.’