http://www.computer.org/toh The IEEE Transactions on Haptics will address the science, technology and applications associated with information acquisition and object manipulation through touch. Haptic interactions relevant to this journal include all aspects of manual exploration and manipulation by humans, machines and interactions between the two, performed in real, virtual, teleoperated or networked environments. Research areas of relevance to this publication will include, but not be limited to, the following topics: a) Human haptic and multi-sensory perception and action b) Haptic interactions via passive or active tools and machines c) Devices that sense, enable, or create haptic interactions locally or at a distance d) Haptic rendering and its association with graphic and auditory rendering in virtual reality e) Algorithms, controls, and dynamics of haptic devices, users, and interactions between the two f) Human-machine performance and safety with haptic feedback g) Haptics in the context of human-computer interactions h)Systems and networks using haptic devices and interactions, including multi-modal feedback i) Application of the above, for example in areas such as education, rehabilitation, medicine, computer-aided design, skills training, computer games, driver controls, simulation and visualization en-us Wed, 4 Jan 2012 11:00:01 GMT http://csdl.computer.org/common/images/logos/toh.gif List of recently published journal articles http://www.computer.org/toh http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.67 The broader goal of our research is to train infants with special needs to safely and purposefully drive a mobile robot to explore the environment. The hypothesis is that these impaired infants will benefit from mobility in their early years and attain childhood milestones, similar to their healthy peers. In this paper, we present an algorithm and training method using a force-feedback joystick with an `assist-as-needed' paradigm for driving training. In this 'assist-as-needed' approach, if the child steers the joystick outside a force tunnel centered on the desired direction, the driver experiences a bias force on the hand. We show results with a group study on typically developing toddlers that such a haptic guidance algorithm is superior to training with a conventional joystick. We also provide a case study on two special needs children, under three years old, who learn to make sharp turns during driving, when trained over a five-day period with the force-feedback joystick using the algorithm. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.67 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.57 The cognitive sciences are increasingly coming to terms with the embodied, embedded, extended, and experiential aspects of the mind. Exemplifying this shift, the enactive approach points to an essential role of goal-directed bodily activity in the generation of meaningful perceptual experience, i.e. sense-making. Here, building on recent insights into the transformative effects of practical tool-use, we make use of the enactive approach in order to provide a definition of an enactive interface in terms of augmented sense-making. We introduce such a custom-built interface, the Enactive Torch, and present a study of its experiential effects. The results demonstrate that the user experience is not adequately captured by any standardly assumed perceptual modality; rather, it is a new feeling that is mediated by the design of the device and shaped by the overall situation of the task. Taken together these findings show that there is much to be gained by synergies between engineering and the cognitive sciences in the creation of new experience-centered technology. We suggest that the guiding principle should be the design of interfaces that serve as a transparent medium for augmenting our natural skills of interaction with the world, instead of requiring conscious attention to the interface as an opaque object in the world. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.57 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.51 Measuring interaction forces in bilateral teleoperation systems may be difficult, due to size and cost restrictions on the force sensors. Obtaining the interaction forces by estimation can be a viable alternative. The primary contribution of this paper is the study of the effect of interaction force estimation on performance in bilateral teleoperation. A distinction is made between the obvious effect as a result of inaccurate estimation, and the less obvious effect as a result of the inherent theoretical properties of a system that has two points of interaction with its surroundings (a teleoperator) as opposed to one point of interaction (single robot). Specifically, the existence of a singularity property is pointed out, at which interaction force estimation is impossible, and close to which it may be infeasible. The secondary contribution of the paper is the Force Sensor Free (FSF) transformation for linear teleoperation systems, which is an automated procedure that turns a teleoperation controller with force sensing into an equivalent controller with force estimation. An experiment is reported whose objective is to validate the operation of the FSF transformation on a real teleoperator. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.51 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.72 Mobile device users can now experience diverse graphical content ranging from a simple static object to an object having complex dynamic behavior. A user who manipulates and plays with such "objects" wants to haptically "feel" the presence of a static object or the motion of a dynamic object. To satisfy this demand, we previously proposed a vibrotactile rendering method based on a vibrotactile traveling wave. Although the proposed method can haptically simulate the dynamic behavior of a target object, it is not easy to delicately generate the traveling vibrotactile wave The reason is that the sampling rate of the haptic loop in the system determines the performance of the traveling vibrotactile wave. In this study, we develop a haptic processor that can control multiple motors, and furthermore we discuss how we could create traveling vibrotactile waves in mobile devices. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.72 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.71 Touchscreen technology has become pervasive in the consumer product arena over the last decade. However, there are significant drawbacks. Notably, standard touchscreens demand the user’s visual attention, requiring them to look at the input device. This issue is particularly important for mobile, capacitive sensing, non-stylus devices, where small button sizes can generate high error rates. Previous work has shown the benefits of augmenting such interfaces, only positive feedback has been considered. In this paper we present a simple prototype interface that provides negative vibrotactile feedback. By negative, we mean feedback is generated when an inactive or ambiguous part of the screen is touched. We present a usability study comparing positive and negative vibrotactile feedback for a numerical data entry task. The difference in performance is not statistically significant, implying negative feedback provides comparable benefits. Next, we introduce a multi-modal feedback strategy – combining complementary positive audio and negative vibrotactile signals. User tests on a text entry experiment show that, with multi-modal feedback, users exhibit a (statistically significant) 24% reduction in corrective key presses, as compared to positive audio feedback alone. Exit survey comments indicate that users favor multi-modal feedback. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.71 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.70 Inspection of the colon with an endoscope for early signs of cancer (colonoscopy) has become an extremely widespread procedure, since early treatment radically improves the outlook of patients. The procedure requires a close coordination between the sense of touch and vision to navigate the endoscope along the colon. This raises the need to develop efficient training methods for physicians. Training simulators based on virtual reality, where realistic graphics are combined with a mechatronic system providing haptic feedback, are alternative to traditional training methods. To provide physicians with realistic haptic sensations of an endoscopic procedure, we have designed a haptic interface, instrumented a clinical endoscope and combined them with a simulation software for colonoscopy. In this contribution, we present the mechatronic components of the simulator. The haptic interface is able to generate high forces using the combination of electrical motors and brakes in a compact design. Experiments were performed to determine the characteristics of the device. A model-based control has been implemented and the results show that the control successfully compensates for the device nonlinearities, such as friction. The proposed haptic interface, together with the virtual reality, form a highly realistic training simulator for endoscopic surgeons, applicable not only to colonoscopy, but also to similar interventions. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.70 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.69 Bone-burring is a common procedure in orthopedic, dental and otologic surgeries. Virtual reality (VR)-based surgical simulations with both visual and haptic feedbacks provide novice surgeons with a feasible and safe way to practise their burring skill. However, creating realistic haptic interactions between a high-speed rotary burr and stiff bone is a challenging task. In this paper, we propose a novel interactive haptic bone-burring model based on impulse-based dynamics to simulate the contact forces, including resistant and frictional forces. In order to mimic the lateral and axial burring vibration forces, a three dimensional vibration model has been developed. A prototype haptic simulation system for the bone-burring procedure has been implemented to evaluate the proposed haptic rendering methods. Several experiments of force evaluations and task-oriented tests were conducted on the prototype system. The results demonstrate the validity and feasibility of the proposed methods. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.69 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.68 Minimally invasive surgery uses optical cameras and special surgical tools in order to operate from an environment one step removed from the body cavity of interest to the surgeon. It has been suggested that constraints posed by this arrangement, in particular the lack of direct haptic feedback to the surgeon, may affect the surgeon's ability to identify tissues and accurately maneuver inside the body cavity. In the present study, the ability of laypeople to detect artificial tumors of various hardness values embedded in silicone gels was assessed in a simulated MIS environment. Participants explored the gels under three conditions all with remote viewing; using the unrestricted bare finger, using a stick-like surgical tool also unrestricted, and using the surgical tool restricted by its insertion through an operating port as in MIS. Participants were significantly more accurate and more efficient at tumor detection with the finger as compared to the other methods of exploration, and they were also better at detecting harder tumors as compared to softer ones. The potential implications of these results for the role of haptic perception in minimally invasive surgery are discussed. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.68 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.66 In this paper, we describe the development of a novel haptic device to be used in a simulation of abdominal palpation, which is a technique directed by the gastroenterologist and performed by the gastroenterology assistant. An abdominal palpation simulator would provide an opportunity to train assistants and also supplement existing colonoscopy simulators to facilitate colonoscopy team training. To understand the haptic feedback forces to be simulated by the haptic device, we conducted an experiment with 5 participants of varying BMI. The applied forces and displacements were measured and hysteresis modelling was used to characterise the experimental data. These models were used to determine the haptic feedback forces required to simulate a BMI case in response to the real-time user interactions. The pneumatic haptic device consisted of a sphygmomanometer bladder as the haptic interface and a fuzzy controller to regulate the bladder pressure. As a system, the results showed that the implementation of pneumatic technologies was capable of producing sufficient steady state and dynamic response to produce a convincing simulation of the haptic forces found in abdominal palpation interactions. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.66 http://opac.ieeecomputersociety.org/opac?year=2011&volume=4&issue=04&acronym=toh IEEE Transactions on Haptics http://www.computer.org/portal/site/toh/ http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.60 When equipped with motion and force sensors, box-trainers can be good alternatives for relatively expensive Virtual Reality (VR) trainers. As in VR trainers, the sensors in a box trainer could provide the trainee with objective information about his performance. The aim of this study is the development of force parameters that reflect the trainee's performance in a suture task. Our second goal is to investigate if a subject can be classified as expert or novice. For 16 force parameters, we determined whether there were differences between the performance of experts and novices during a suture task. The results show that experts applied less force and had a lower variability in applied forces when compared to novices. Moreover, with a combination of several parameters, including peak force, mean force and main direction of force, it was possible to perform a Leave-One-Out-Cross Validation with Linear Discriminant Analyze that correctly classified 84% of all subjects as an expert or novice. We conclude that force measurements in a box trainer can be used to classify the level of performance of trainees and can contribute to objective assessment of suture skills. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.60 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.59 Performance evaluation is indispensable for a surgical simulator to become acceptable. A haptics-based dental simulator (iDental) has been developed and preliminary user evaluation on its first-generation prototype has been carried out to gain the knowledge. Based on detailed requirement analysis of Periodontics procedures, a combined evaluation method including qualitative and quantitative analysis was designed. Construct validity was used to compare the performance difference between two groups of participants (faculty members and dental graduate students). These participants were required to perform three periodontal examination and treatment procedures including periodontal pocket probing, calculus detection and removal. From the evaluation results, we found that penetration between tool and teeth or cheek will greatly decrease the fidelity of the simulation, therefore, it is necessary to utilize 6-DOF haptic device with both force and torque feedback in dental simulator, and accordingly it is needed to extend point-based rendering to 6-DOF haptic rendering of multi-region contacts. Furthermore, several other key research topics that will enable haptic technology to be effective in a practical dental simulator were identified, including simulation of deformable body such as tongue and gingival, and simulation of occlusion of tongue and cheek on teeth etc. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.59 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.58 This paper reports on a series of user experiments evaluating the design of a multimodal test platform capable of rendering visual, audio, vibrotactile, and directional skin stretch stimuli. The test platform is a handheld, wirelessly controlled device that will facilitate experiments with mobile users in realistic environments. Stimuli rendered by the device are fully characterized, and have little variance in stimulus onset timing. A series of user experiments utilizing navigational cues validates the function of the device and investigates the user response to all stimulus modes. Results show users are capable of interpreting all stimuli with high accuracy and can use the direction cues for mobile navigation. Tests included both stationary (seated) and mobile (walking a simple obstacle course) tasks. Accuracy and response time patterns are similar in both seated and mobile conditions. This device provides a means of designing and evaluating multimodal communication methods for handheld devices and will facilitate experiments investigating the effects of stimulus mode on device usability and situation awareness. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.58 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.56 We present a novel electrotactile display that can be integrated into current handheld devices with touch screens. In this display, tactile information is presented to the fingertip of the user by transmitting small currents through electrodes. Experiments were conducted to investigate the perception of simulated textures using this electrotactile display technique. One fundamental feature of texture, which is the focus of this study, is roughness. The aim of the first experiment was to investigate the relationship between electrotactile stimulation parameters such as current and pulse frequency and the perception of roughness. An increase in the current magnitude resulted in an increase in perceived roughness. The aim of the second experiment was to investigate parameter combinations of electrotactile stimuli can be used to simulate textures. Subjects adjusted the intensity and frequency of the current stimuli until the simulated textures were perceived as being equal to reference textures such as sandpapers of varying grit numbers and grooved woods with varying groove widths. Subjects tended to find an electrotactile stimulus with a high current magnitude and a low pulse frequency more suitable to represent rough surfaces. They tended to find just-perceptible current magnitudes suitable for very smooth surfaces and did not show a preference for any frequency. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.56 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.55 Haptic assistance is the process of using force feedback to aid the operator in human computer interaction (HCI). This may take the form of guiding the operator towards a target or assisting them in its selection. Haptic feedback has previously been investigated to assist motion-impaired computer users, however, limitations of previous 2DOF haptic target acquisition techniques such as gravity wells and high-friction-targets have hampered progress. In this paper two new haptic assistive techniques are presented that utilise the 3DOF capabilities of the Phantom Omni to produce assistance that is designed specifically for motion-impaired computer users. These include haptic cones and V-shaped funnels. To evaluate the effectiveness of the new haptic techniques a series of point-and-click experiments were undertaken in parallel with cursor analysis to compare the levels of performance. The task required the operator to produce a predefined sentence on the Windows-On-Screen Keyboard. The results of the study prove that higher performance levels can be achieved using techniques that are less constricting than traditional assistance and without many of the drawbacks. Haptic cones produced the most significant results when compared to an unassisted interface with a mean improvement of 53% in the number of missed-clicks and 145% improvement in throughput. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.55 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.54 Touch has received increasing interest in marketing, given research indicating that contact with products influences evaluation and the tendency to purchase. However, little is known from the marketing or psychophysical literature about visible attributes of objects that elicit touch for hedonic purposes. In these studies, participants rated the tendency of pictured objects to invite touch, or “;touch-ability.” Rated touch-ability varied reliably with structural attributes of objects, and the structural influences were distinct from those on other ratings such as attractiveness and apparent expense. Although the trends varied across object sets, touch-ability generally declined as surface textures became markedly rough and shape complexity became extreme. Holding stimulus factors constant, touch-ability also varied with the specific hand movements that were anticipated. Finally, mean touch-ability ratings were correlated across participants with the “Need for Touch” scale, which measures an individual’s tendency to touch products. The studies point to touch-ability as a potential factor that might be incorporated into product design. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.54 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.53 In previous studies, the effect on perception of individual features such as curvature and edges has been studied with specifically designed stimuli. However, the effect of local properties on the perception of the global object has so far received little attention. In this study, cylinders with an elliptical cross-section and rectangular blocks were used to investigate the effect and relative importance of curvature, change in curvature and edges, as local properties, on the ability of subjects to determine the orientation of the stimuli, which is a global property. We found that when curvature was present the threshold to determine the orientation was 43% lower than when curvature was absent. When, in addition, the change in curvature could be felt, the threshold was 37% lower than when only curvature could be felt. Finally, when edges were felt during exploration, the threshold increased by 46% compared to when the subjects were instructed to avoid the edges in the blocks. We conclude that the perception of curvature and change in curvature improve the performance of humans in perception of the whole shape, whereas edges, when not directly contributing to the task, disrupt performance. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.53 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.52 To better understand how kinematic variables impact learning in surgical training, we devised an interactive environment for simulated laparoscopic maneuvers, using either 1) mechanical constraints typical of a surgical “box-trainer” or 2) virtual constraints in which free hand movements control virtual tool motion. During training, the virtual tool responded to the absolute position in space (Position-Based) or the orientation (Orientation-Based) of a hand-held sensor. Volunteers were further assigned to different sequences of target distances (Near-Far-Near or Far-Near-Far). Training with the Orientation-Based constraint enabled much lower path error and shorter movement times during training, which suggests that tool motion that simply mirrors joint motion is easier to learn. When evaluated in physically constrained (physical box-trainer) conditions, each group exhibited improved performance from training. However, Position-Based training enabled greater reductions in movement error relative to Orientation-Based (mean difference: 14.0%; CI: 0.7, 28.6). Furthermore, the Near-Far-Near schedule allowed a greater decrease in task time relative to the Far-Near-Far sequence (mean -13.5%, CI:-19.5, -7.5). Training that focused on shallow tool insertion (near targets) might promote more efficient movement strategies by emphasizing the curvature of tool motion. In addition, our findings suggest that an understanding of absolute tool position is critical to coping with mechanical interactions between the tool and trocar. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.52 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.50 In this paper, we present a novel haptic technique for emulating hard surfaces with high realism; such a technique has significant potential utility in certain orthopaedic surgery applications such as joint replacement surgery where the goal is to prevent incursions beyond a virtual surface during bone cutting operations. The Dynamic Physical Constraint (DPC) concept uses a unidirectional physical constraint that is actively positioned to limit movement between two manipulator links; the concept is applicable to providing virtual constraints in both 2D and 3D workspaces. Simulation results demonstrate the potential feasibility of the concept, and a prototype device was built for testing. The DPC device provides a convincing sensation of a real, hard virtual surface which can be smoothly tracked when the end-effector is in contact with the surface. Incursion across the surface with the prototype was well sub-millimetric and within the accuracy constraints required for joint replacement applications. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.50 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.49 Safety and dependability are of the utmost importance for physical human-robot interaction due to the potential risks that a relatively powerful robot poses to human beings. From the control standpoint, it is possible to improve safety by guaranteeing that the robot will never exhibit any unstable behaviour. However, stability is not the only concern in the design of a controller for such a robot. During human-robot interaction, the resulting cooperative motion should be truly intuitive and should not restrict in any way the human performance. For this purpose, we have designed a new variable admittance control law that guarantees the stability of the robot during constrained motion and also provides a very intuitive human interaction. The former characteristic is provided by the design of a stability observer while the latter is based on a variable admittance control scheme that uses the time derivative of the contact force to assess human intentions. A method to accurately estimate this stiffness online using the data coming from the encoder and from a multi-axis force sensor at the end effector is also provided. The stability and intuitivity of the control law are verified in a user study involving an industrial Intelligent Assist Device. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.49 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.48 Many tactile feedback techniques have been devised to present tactile stimuli corresponding to a user's hand movements taking account of the concept of active touch. However, hand movements may not necessarily be required for achieving natural tactile feedback. Here, we propose a virtual-activetouch method that achieves haptic perception without actual/direct hand movements. In this method, a cursor manipulated by a forceinput device is regarded as a virtual finger of the operator on the screen. Tactile feedback is provided to the operator in accordance with cursor movements. To validate the translation of virtual roughness gratings, we compare the virtual-active-touch interface with an interface that involves actual hand movements. We show that the virtual-active-touch method presents the surface wavelengths of the gratings, which is a fundamental property for texture roughness, and that the gain significantly influences the textures experienced by the operators. Furthermore, we find that the perceived wavelengths of objects scaled and viewed on a small screen are skewed. We conclude that although some unique problems remain to be solved, we may be able to perceive the surface wavelengths solely with the intentions of active touch through virtual-active-touch interfaces. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.48 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.42 Training simulators have proven their worth in a variety of fields, from piloting to air-traffic control to nuclear power station monitoring. Designing surgical simulators, however, poses the challenge of creating trainers that effectively instill not only high-level understanding of the steps to be taken in a given situation, but also the low-level “muscle-memory” needed to perform delicate surgical procedures. It is often impossible to build an ideal simulator that perfectly mimics the haptic experience of a surgical procedure, but by focussing on the aspects of the experience that are perceptually salient we can build simulators that effectively instill learning. We propose a general method for the design of surgical simulators that augment the perceptually salient aspects of an interaction. Using this method, we can increase skill-transfer rates without requiring expensive improvements in the capability of the rendering hardware or the computational complexity of the simulation. In this paper, we present our decomposition-based method for surgical simulator design, and describe a user-study comparing the training effectiveness of a haptic-search-task simulator designed using our method vs. an unaugmented simulator. The results show that perception-based task decomposition can be used to improve the design of surgical simulators that effectively impart skill by targeting perceptually significant aspects of the interaction. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.42 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.40 Haptic augmented reality is an emerging research area, which targets the modulation of haptic properties of real objects by means of virtual feedback. In our research, we explore the feasibility of using this technology for medical training systems. As a possible demonstration example, we currently examine the use of augmentation in the context of breast tumor palpation. The key idea in our prototype system is to augment the real feedback of a silicone breast mock-up with simulated forces stemming from virtual tumors. In this paper, we introduce and evaluate the underlying algorithm to provide these force augmentations. This includes a method for the identification of the contact dynamics model via measurements on real sample objects. The performance of our augmentation is examined quantitatively as well as in a user study. Initial results show that the haptic feedback of indenting a real silicone tumor with a rod can be approximated reasonably well with our algorithm. The advantage of such an augmentation approach over physical training models is the ability to create a nearly infinite variety of palpable findings. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.40 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.39 An electro-tactile display is a tactile interface composed of skin surface electrodes. The use of such a device is limited by the variability of the elicited sensation. One possible solution to this problem is to monitor skin electrical impedance. Previous studies revealed a correlation between impedance and threshold, but did not construct real-time feedback loops. In this study, an electro-tactile display was constructed using a 1.45 us feedback loop. Real-time pulse width modulation was proposed, and the relationship between skin resistance and absolute threshold was measured to find a function for determining a suitable pulse width from skin resistance. An evaluation experiment revealed that the proposed algorithm suppressed spatial variation and reduced temporal change. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.39 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.38 Modern haptic interfaces are adept at conveying the large-scale shape of virtual objects, but they often provide unrealistic or no feedback when it comes to the microscopic details of surface texture. Direct texture rendering challenges the state of the art in haptics because it requires a finely detailed model of the surface's properties, real-time dynamic simulation of complex interactions, and high-bandwidth haptic output to enable the user to feel the resulting contacts. This paper presents a new, fully-realized solution for creating realistic virtual textures. Our system employs a sensorized handheld tool to capture the feel of a given texture, recording three-dimensional tool acceleration, tool position, and contact force over time. We reduce the 3D acceleration signals to a perceptually equivalent one-dimensional signal, and then we use linear predictive coding to distill this raw haptic information into a database of frequency-domain texture models. Finally, we render these texture models in real time on a Wacom tablet using a stylus augmented with small voice coil actuators. The resulting virtual textures provide a compelling simulation of contact with the real surfaces, which we verify through a human subject study. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.38 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.35 Mathematics instruction and discourse typically involve two modes of communication: speech and graphical presentation. For the communication to remain situated, dynamic synchrony must be maintained between the speech and dynamic focus in the graphics. In sighted people, vision is used for two purposes: access to graphical material and awareness of embodied behavior. This embodiment awareness keeps communication situated with visual material and speech. Our goal is to assist students who are blind or visually impaired (SBVI) in the access to such instruction/communication. We employ the typical approach of sensory replacement for the missing visual sense. Haptic fingertip reading can replace visual material. We want to make the SBVI aware of the deictic gestures performed by the teacher over the graphic in conjunction with speech. We employ a haptic glove interface to facilitate this embodiment awareness. We address issues from the conception through the design and implementation to the effective and successful use of our Haptic Deictic System (HDS) in inclusive classrooms. http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TOH.2011.35