The TouchBox: an open-source audio-haptic device for finger-based interaction

Abstract

The TouchBox is a low-cost human-computer interface yielding advanced auditory and vibrotactile feedback, made available in open-source form. It offers affordances similar to small touchscreens and isometric pointing devices as it tracks the position of up to two finger-pads in contact with its top surface, measures their contact areas as well as the applied normal and lateral forces. The interface is the result of several design iterations that on the one hand optimized its sensing accuracy and output reliability, and on the other hand expanded its input capabilities so as to measure various quantities relevant to everyday finger-based interaction. Applications range from using the interface as a calibrated measurement device to advanced human-machine interaction.