What is haptic feedback and why is it so important to off-highway equipment? These and other questions were explored on the show floor at this week’s iVT Expo USA in conversation with Philipp Bauer, product manager, control systems for transport technics with Gebrüder Frei (booth 817), a leading player in the field of control elements and global systems for switching power supplies
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- What is the importance of haptic feedback?
The requirements on industrial trucks and their operators are increasing continually. Unfortunately, the risk of accidents also increases due to the higher requirements.
- How can it benefit operators?
The provision of active feedback through the main control element is the first choice to ensure that the operator senses it without delay, becomes vigilant, and is also able to react immediately.
Studies have shown that haptic feedback increases the driving performance and at the same time reduces the visual requirements on the driving task. This is due to the fact that haptic feedback given directly to the fingers enables the operator to process the information without having to take his or her eyes off the task at hand.
The perceived comfort of haptic systems is particularly important to ensure the best possible user product interaction.
ABOVE: Philipp Bauer, product manager with Gebrüder Frei, cites studies showing that haptic feedback can increase driving performance while decreasing the visual demands of the driving task
- Which vehicle functions lend themselves most effectively to haptic feedback?
The haptic feedback is an optimal warning function. When driving a forklift truck it is very often used to warn the driver when the forks have reached a maximum height.
- What Gebrüder Frei technology and design is used to enable haptic feedback?
Frei has implemented a very small vibration motor into the cap of the Fingerjoystick Mono. The vibration motor can be activated with a 5V current supply. On this way the customer can define the start and duration of the vibration. With our patented design we have realized this on the smallest possible space. Therefore the joystick is ideally suited for cabs subject to space and weight limitations.
ABOVE: Frei has implemented a very small vibration motor into the cap of the Fingerjoystick Mono
- How is the durability, reliability and safety of such systems ensured?
The shielded, non-contacting Hall-effect technology makes the joystick very reliable. It has a mechanical service life of five million cycles. With protection class IP68 and an operating temperature range from -40 °C to +85 °C, the MONO really is an ideal control element for all type of vehicle.
- What is the future for such systems?
Several studies have investigated the effectiveness of haptic feedback in vehicle guidance. In the studies by Steele and Gillespie (2002), haptic feedback was played directly on the steering wheel of the vehicle to assist the driver in lateral control of the vehicle. The results show that haptic feedback can increase driving performance while decreasing the visual demands of the driving task. Furthermore, the tendency showed that secondary tasks can be handled better when the driving task is supported by haptic feedback. And for this reason, haptic feedback for the operator will be an essential feature of the cabin in the future.
- Why Frei?
Customers have long relied on the innovative strength of Frei and also when it comes to integrating individual innovations into existing or new systems. This is why Frei is also a strong partner for system components.
