Haptic interface for presenting enveloping force from remote obstacles in a personal vehicle

Small electric vehicles are expected to be used in Shared Space. However, driving an electric vehicle in Shared Space raises safety issues. In this research, we propose a vehicle control interface comprising a haptic joystick and five 1 degree-of-freedom manipulators on the joystick. The proposed system provides force sensations to the driver’s hand and fingers from surrounding manipulators, if there are obstacles in the proximity area. The directions of the obstacles and the haptic pressure are linked, such that the driver can determine the obstacle’s direction without visual information. We verify that the system can enable drivers to recognize obstacles that should be anticipated and avoided. It is also inferred that the direction of the HMI presented is recognizable. In addition, the system is applicable when the obstacles are in the blind spots.