Haptic actuator design parameters that influence affect and attention

Most haptic feedback devices to date are designed to be alerts or warnings that capture a user's attention. This can be disruptive or annoying when the user needs to focus on another task of higher importance. We believe that haptic feedback that elicits positive affect can manage attention capture across a wider spectrum than feedback with negative affect. In this study, we explore the affective response to several haptic actuator designs for better management of user attention. We evaluate six parameters that may impact affect: stimulus location on the body, actuation type, actuation intensity, actuation profile, actuator material and actuator geometry. A total of 30 subjects participated in this study (average age 24±3 years). Of the six parameters, we found that actuation profile had the most significant impact on affect. We also found that devices with negative affect were better able to capture the user's attention. Due to the variability in the verbalized preferences among subjects, we propose outfitting all haptic actuators with an intensity control. We anticipate that the results of this study will guide designers in modifying key parameters of haptic devices to appropriately manage user attention.