HapCube

HapCube is a wearable tactile device designed to enhance immersion in virtual and augmented reality by providing both tangential and normal pseudo-force feedback on the fingertip. To achieve miniaturization while maintaining high-quality haptic sensations, the system utilizes two distinct human sensory illusions of vibration. The first illusion uses asymmetric vibration from two orthogonal voicecoil actuators to create a 2D virtual pulling sensation in any tangential direction on the finger pad. The second illusion employs a third voicecoil actuator to simulate complex compliance curves—such as the force-displacement profiles of mechanical keyboard switches—in the normal direction by modulating vibration frequency and amplitude. Measurement and user tests confirmed that HapCube successfully generates directional virtual forces with a discrimination threshold consistent with real-world force perception. This project provides a foundational approach for designing compact haptic interfaces that leverage vibration-based sensory illusions to simulate sophisticated physical interactions.