Sean Follmer

All Publications

• Augmenting Perceived Softness of Haptic Proxy Objects Through Transient Vibration and Visuo-Haptic Illusion in Virtual Reality IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VISUALIZATION AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS Choi, I., Zhao, Y., Gonzalez, E. J., Follmer, S. 2021; 27 (12): 4387-4400

  Abstract

  In this article, we investigate the effects of active transient vibration and visuo-haptic illusion to augment the perceived softness of haptic proxy objects. We introduce a system combining active transient vibration at the fingertip with visuo-haptic illusions. In our hand-held device, a voice coil actuator transmits active transient vibrations to the index fingertip, while a force sensor measures the force applied on passive proxy objects to create visuo-haptic illusions in virtual reality. We conducted three user studies to understand both the vibrotactile effect and its combined effect with visuo-haptic illusions. A preliminary study confirmed that active transient vibrations can intuitively alter the perceived softness of a proxy object. Our first study demonstrated that those same active transient vibrations can generate different perceptions of softness depending on the material of the proxy object used. In our second study, we evaluated the combination of active transient vibration and visuo-haptic illusion, and found that both significantly influence perceived softness, with with the visuo-haptic effect being dominant. Our third study further investigated the vibrotactile effect while controlling for the visuo-haptic illusion. The combination of these two methods allows users to effectively perceive various levels of softness when interacting with haptic proxy objects.

  View details for DOI 10.1109/TVCG.2020.3002245

  View details for Web of Science ID 000711642800005

  View details for PubMedID 32746263

• Generating Legible and Glanceable Swarm Robot Motion through Trajectory, Collective Behavior, and Pre-attentive Processing Features ACM TRANSACTIONS ON HUMAN-ROBOT INTERACTION Kim, L. H., Follmer, S. 2021; 10 (3)

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3442681

  View details for Web of Science ID 000731456900003

• Hybrid Actuation With Unidirectional Clutches for Handheld Haptic Controllers IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS Choi, I., Gonzalez, E. J., Follmer, S. 2021; 6 (3): 4827-4834

  View details for DOI 10.1109/LRA.2021.3068700

  View details for Web of Science ID 000641958700005

• COVID-19 highlights the issues facing blind and visually impaired people in accessing data on the web W4A: Web Accessibility Siu, A. F., Fan, D., Kim, G. S., Rao, H. V., O'Modhrain, S., Follmer, S. 2021: 1-15

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3430263.3452432

• Balloon Animal Robots: Reconfigurable Isoperimetric Inflated Soft Robots Stuart, A. D., Hammond, Z. M., Follmer, S., IEEE IEEE. 2021: 6941-6947

  View details for DOI 10.1109/IROS51168.2021.9635842

  View details for Web of Science ID 000755125505082

• Grasp Analysis and Manipulation Kinematics for Isoperimetric Truss Robots Hammond, Z. M., Usevitch, N. S., Follmer, S., IEEE IEEE. 2021: 6140-6146

  View details for DOI 10.1109/ICRA48506.2021.9561332

  View details for Web of Science ID 000765738804084

• Acoustic Communication and Sensing for Inflatable Modular Soft Robots Drew, D. S., Devlin, M., Hawkes, E., Follmer, S., IEEE IEEE. 2021: 11827-11833

  View details for DOI 10.1109/ICRA48506.2021.9561183

  View details for Web of Science ID 000771405404018

• A Causal Feeling: How Kinesthetic Haptics Affects Causal Perception Chase, E. Z., Wolff, P., Gerstenberg, T., Follmer, S., IEEE IEEE. 2021: 347

  View details for DOI 10.1109/WHC49131.2021.9517133

  View details for Web of Science ID 000707066600035

• HIGH FORCE DENSITY MULTI-STAGE ELECTROHYDRODYNAMIC JETS USING FOLDED LASER MICROFABRICATED ELECTRODES Drew, D. S., Follmer, S., IEEE IEEE. 2021: 54-57

  View details for DOI 10.1109/TRANSDUCERS50396.2021.9495704

  View details for Web of Science ID 000707041600016

• Lightweight High Voltage Generator for Untethered Electroadhesive Perching of Micro Air Vehicles IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS Park, S., Drew, D. S., Follmer, S., Rivas-Davila, J. 2020; 5 (3): 4485–92

  View details for DOI 10.1109/LRA.2020.3001520

  View details for Web of Science ID 000542879400005

• An untethered isoperimetric soft robot. Science robotics Usevitch, N. S., Hammond, Z. M., Schwager, M., Okamura, A. M., Hawkes, E. W., Follmer, S. 2020; 5 (40)

  Abstract

  For robots to be useful for real-world applications, they must be safe around humans, be adaptable to their environment, and operate in an untethered manner. Soft robots could potentially meet these requirements; however, existing soft robotic architectures are limited by their ability to scale to human sizes and operate at these scales without a tether to transmit power or pressurized air from an external source. Here, we report an untethered, inflated robotic truss, composed of thin-walled inflatable tubes, capable of shape change by continuously relocating its joints, while its total edge length remains constant. Specifically, a set of identical roller modules each pinch the tube to create an effective joint that separates two edges, and modules can be connected to form complex structures. Driving a roller module along a tube changes the overall shape, lengthening one edge and shortening another, while the total edge length and hence fluid volume remain constant. This isoperimetric behavior allows the robot to operate without compressing air or requiring a tether. Our concept brings together advantages from three distinct types of robots-soft, collective, and truss-based-while overcoming certain limitations of each. Our robots are robust and safe, like soft robots, but not limited by a tether; are modular, like collective robots, but not limited by complex subunits; and are shape-changing, like truss robots, but not limited by rigid linear actuators. We demonstrate two-dimensional (2D) robots capable of shape change and a human-scale 3D robot capable of punctuated rolling locomotion and manipulation, all constructed with the same modular rollers and operating without a tether.

  View details for DOI 10.1126/scirobotics.aaz0492

  View details for PubMedID 33022597

• An untethered isoperimetric soft robot SCIENCE ROBOTICS Usevitch, N. S., Hammond, Z. M., Schwager, M., Okamura, A. M., Hawkes, E. W., Follmer, S. 2020; 5 (40)

  View details for DOI 10.1126/scirobotics.aaz0492

  View details for Web of Science ID 000520870400001

• Foxels: Build Your Own Smart Furniture Perteneder, F., Probst, K., Leong, J., Gassler, S., Rendl, C., Parzer, P., Fluch, K., Gahleitner, S., Follmer, S., Koike, H., Haller, M., Assoc Comp Machinery ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2020: 111–22

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3374920.3374935

  View details for Web of Science ID 000570009800011

• User-Defined Swarm Robot Control Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Kim, L. H., Drew, D. S., Domova, V., Follmer, S. Association for Computing Machinery. 2020: 13

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3313831.3376814

• Design and Analysis of High-Resolution Electrostatic Adhesive Brakes Towards Static Refreshable 2.5D Tactile Shape Display IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON HAPTICS Zhang, K., Gonzalez, E. J., Guo, J., Follmer, S. 2019; 12 (4): 470–82

  Abstract

  Tactile displays are haptic devices capable of rendering shape and texture information. Unsolved challenges in building tactile shape displays include their traditionally large form factors, low spatial resolution, and high costs. Using electrostatic adhesion to individually brake each pin and a single platform for global actuation, we developed a prototype static refreshable tactile shape display with high spatial resolution (1.7 mm pitch, 0.8 mm pin width; 4 mm pitch, 1.6 mm pin width), high resistance force (76.3 gf static-loading force per pin for 1.6 mm width) and low cost ($0.11 USD per pin for raw material). We present an analytical model of our electroadhesive brake mechanism and evaluate its maximum contact force and robustness in various conditions. To demonstrate the mechanism's potential, we built a static tactile shape display prototype with a 4×2 array of pins controlled using electroadhesive brakes. To further increase maximsum contact force allowed by our device, we develop and evaluate a global mechanical clutch which can be engaged during user interaction. A user study is carried out to compare our static tactile shape display's performance with printed 2.5D tactile graphics in a shape recognition task, and comparable shape recognition rates and response times are observed.

  View details for DOI 10.1109/TOH.2019.2940219

  View details for Web of Science ID 000505585900008

  View details for PubMedID 31545743

• Beyond The Force: Using Quadcopters to Appropriate Objects and the Environment for Haptics in Virtual Reality Abtahi, P., Landry, B., Yang, J., Pavone, M., Follmer, S., Landay, J. A., Assoc Comp Machinery ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2019

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3290605.3300589

  View details for Web of Science ID 000474467904051

• Investigating the Detection of Bimanual Haptic Retargeting in Virtual Reality Gonzalez, E. J., Follmer, S., Spencer, S. N. ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2019

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3359996.3364248

  View details for Web of Science ID 000527364800012

• shapeCAD: An Accessible 3D Modelling Workflow for the Blind and Visually-Impaired Via 2.5D Shape Displays Siu, A. F., Kim, S., Miele, J. A., Follmer, S., Assoc Comp Machinery ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2019: 342–54

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3308561.3353782

  View details for Web of Science ID 000522450600031

• Tactile Code Skimmer: A Tool to Help Blind Programmers Feel the Structure of Code Falase, O., Siu, A. F., Follmer, S., Assoc Comp Machinery ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2019: 536–38

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3308561.3354616

  View details for Web of Science ID 000522450600055

• Evaluating the Minimum Jerk Motion Model for Redirected Reach in Virtual Reality Gonzalez, E. J., Abtahi, P., Follmer, S., ACM ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2019: 4–6

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3332167.3357096

  View details for Web of Science ID 000518192300002

• Editing Spatial Layouts through Tactile Templates for People with Visual Impairments Li, J., Kim, S., Miele, J. A., Agrawala, M., Follmer, S., Assoc Comp Machinery ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2019

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3290605.3300436

  View details for Web of Science ID 000474467902057

• Pinpoint: A PCB Debugging Pipeline Using Interruptible Routing and Instrumentation Strasnick, E., Follmer, S., Agrawala, M., Assoc Comp Machinery ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2019

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3290605.3300278

  View details for Web of Science ID 000474467900048

• SwarmHaptics: Haptic Display with Swarm Robots Kim, L. H., Follmer, S., Assoc Comp Machinery ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2019

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3290605.3300918

  View details for Web of Science ID 000474467908067

• Dynamic Composite Data Physicalization Using Wheeled Micro-Robots. IEEE transactions on visualization and computer graphics Goc, M. L., Perin, C., Follmer, S., Fekete, J., Dragicevic, P. 2018

  Abstract

  This paper introduces dynamic composite physicalizations, a new class of physical visualizations that use collections of self-propelled objects to represent data. Dynamic composite physicalizations can be used both to give physical form to well-known interactive visualization techniques, and to explore new visualizations and interaction paradigms. We first propose a design space characterizing composite physicalizations based on previous work in the fields of Information Visualization and Human Computer Interaction. We illustrate dynamic composite physicalizations in two scenarios demonstrating potential benefits for collaboration and decision making, as well as new opportunities for physical interaction. We then describe our implementation using wheeled micro-robots capable of locating themselves and sensing user input, before discussing limitations and opportunities for future work.

  View details for DOI 10.1109/TVCG.2018.2865159

  View details for PubMedID 30136993

• Electrostatic Adhesive Brakes for High Spatial Resolution Refreshable 2.5D Tactile Shape Displays Zhang, K., Follmer, S., Kuchenbecker, K. J., Gerling, G. J., Visell, Y. IEEE. 2018: 319–26

  View details for Web of Science ID 000434958700052

• An Accessible CAD Workflow Using Programming of 3D Models and Preview Rendering in A 2.5D Shape Display Siu, A. F., Miele, J., Follmer, S., Assoc Comp Machinery ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2018: 343–45

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3234695.3240996

  View details for Web of Science ID 000455178500034

• Investigating Tangible Collaboration for Design Towards Augmented Physical Telepresence DESIGN THINKING RESEARCH: MAKING DISTINCTIONS: COLLABORATION VERSUS COOPERATION Siu, A. F., Yuan, S., Pham, H., Gonzalez, E., Kim, L. H., Le Goc, M., Follmer, S., Plattner, H., Meinel, C., Leifer, L. 2018: 131–45

  View details for DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-60967-6_7

  View details for Web of Science ID 000432741300008

• Designing Line-Based Shape-Changing Interfaces IEEE PERVASIVE COMPUTING Nakagaki, K., Follmer, S., Dementyev, A., Paradiso, J. A., Ishii, H. 2017; 16 (4): 36–46

  View details for Web of Science ID 000414423400008

• shiftIO: Reconfigurable Tactile Elements for Dynamic Affordances and Mobile Interaction Strasnick, E., Yang, J., Tanner, K., Olwal, A., Follmer, S., ACM ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2017: 5075–86

  View details for DOI 10.1145/3025453.3025988

  View details for Web of Science ID 000426970504081

• Shape Displays: Spatial Interaction with Dynamic Physical Form IEEE COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND APPLICATIONS Leithinger, D., Follmer, S., Olwal, A., Ishii, H. 2015; 35 (5): 5-11

  View details for Web of Science ID 000361969200002

  View details for PubMedID 26416359

• Jamming User Interfaces: Programmable Particle Stiffness and Sensing for Malleable and Shape-Changing Devices UIST'12: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 25TH ANNUAL ACM SYMPOSIUM ON USER INTERFACE SOFTWARE AND TECHNOLOGY Follmer, S., Leithinger, D., Olwal, A., Cheng, N., Ishii, H. 2012: 519-528

  View details for Web of Science ID 000324815300054

• TessalTable: Tile-based Creation of Patterns and Images 4th International Conference on Tangible, Embedded and Embodies Interaction Allison, A., Follmer, S., Raffle, H. ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2010: 203–204

  View details for Web of Science ID 000285034500031

• d.note: Revising User Interfaces Through Change Tracking, Annotations, and Alternatives 28th Annual CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Hartmann, B., Follmer, S., Ricciardi, A., Cardenas, T., Klemmer, S. R. ASSOC COMPUTING MACHINERY. 2010: 493–502

  View details for Web of Science ID 000281276700055

• Family Story Play: Reading with Young Children (and Elmo) Over a Distance CHI2010: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 28TH ANNUAL CHI CONFERENCE ON HUMAN FACTORS IN COMPUTING SYSTEMS, VOLS 1-4 Raffle, H., Ballagas, R., Revelle, G., Horii, H., Follmer, S., Go, J., Reardon, E., Mori, K., Kaye, J. '., Spasojevic, M. 2010: 1583-1592

  View details for Web of Science ID 000281276701020