When we manipulate objects in our day-to-day life, we perceive information on the object via force feedback that we sense with our sensorimotor system. However, in virtual reality, we lack these forces, which makes it more challenging to interact with the digital world. Wearables
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When we manipulate objects in our day-to-day life, we perceive information on the object via force feedback that we sense with our sensorimotor system. However, in virtual reality, we lack these forces, which makes it more challenging to interact with the digital world. Wearables, such as hand exoskeletons, can provide force feedback in VR. Nonetheless, as the devices’ actuation or brake system is often bulky or heavy, users typically do not enjoy wearing them. In this study, we investigate the potential of a new friction-based mechanism that can address the existing issues. Our design adopts ultrasonic vibrations to generate a squeeze film, which is a well-studied phenomenon to decrease friction significantly. In literature, the phenomenon has only been investigated with vibrations from one side, with the goal of friction reduction. However, we show that by adding a vibrating surface opposite to the original one, we can extend the possibilities of squeeze films, enabling us to both decrease and increase friction. Since ultrasonic transducers can be miniaturized, our mechanism brings us closer to solving the size and weight issues of existing devices.