Flexible Display

A flexible display (also known as persistent deformed display) is a shape-changing interface that uses permanent shape deformation as form of input, e.g. bending, flexing, twisting, squeezing and pushing. While being an highly intuitive way of interaction, remaining challenges in flexible display research are to overcome limited haptic feedback and unintended display manipulations (since there are no boundaries that restrict the interaction). Most implementations of flexible displays are made of modelling clay, sand or gel that represent data.

Examples

GelSight uses high-resolution robot tactile sensors for estimating geometry and force. The sensor’s surface consists of soft elastomer. It directly measures its vertical and lateral deformation, which corresponds to the exact object shape and the tension on the contact surface. The contact force and slip can be inferred from the deformation as well. More information: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/17/12/2762

MudPad is able to give localized active haptic feedback by using magnetorheological (MR) fluid and an array of electromagnets to actuate the fluid. The fluid is “smart” because one of its properties - its viscosity - can be controlled by a magnetic field. MudPad is covered by a pouch filled with MR fluid. More information: https://hci.rwth-aachen.de/mudpad