The main goal of the HAPPINESS project is to develop a smart conformable surface able to offer different tactile sensations via the development of a Haptic Thin and Organic Large Area Electronic technology (TOLAE), integrating sensing and feedback capabilities, focusing on user requirements and ergonomic design. To this aim, by gathering all the value chain actors (materials, technology, manufacturing, OEM integrator) for an application for the automotive market, the HAPPINESS project, will offer a new haptic Human-Machine Interfaces technology, integrating touch sensing and disruptive feedback capabilities directly into an automotive dashboard.
The last ten years have been extremely exciting in modern Human Machine Interface design, especially in consumer electronics with the arrival of the tactile smart phones and tablets, resulting in immense opportunities but also intense challenges for technology providers, system integrators and OEM HMI designers. In automotive HMI, the arrival of advanced telematics, the spill over from consumer electronics trends and ever more safety solutions have driven innovation and engaging interface concepts.
The HAPPINESS key objective is to design innovative flexible printed actuators combined with touch sensors in order to answer new HMI needs in terms of localized haptic feedback effects on large surfaces. These conformable actuators will be capable to offer 3 different common sensations:
·Roughness to mimic surface texture,
·Vibration to mimic the click of the traditional push-button,
·Relief to ease eyes-free interaction (and to minimize user distraction as it is particularly relevant in automotive applications).
-User studies have been performed on real environments (in car, on roads), using printed haptic actuators.
-Capacitive sensors have been designed, fabricated and integrated using injection process, in an functional and aesthetic automobile dashboard, showcased at Geneva Motor Show 2017
-Printed haptic actuators have been fabricated and delivered to partners, for user studies and for dissemination
-Haptic sliders layout have been defined by simulation, designed, fabricated and tested
-Printing process for actuators stacked together has been developed, leading to an increase of fabrication yield and haptic feedback satisfying performances
-Electronic boards required for both capacitive sensors and printed actuators have been fabricated, tested and implemented on prototypes….
-Technical domains covered by the HAPPINESS project have been presented in various journals, conferences or fairs such as World haptics, AutomotiveUI, UIST, CES or Geneva Motor Show
