Bridging the gap for the role of Haptic Feedback in enhancing Mixed Reality experience

Wearable haptic technologies are a critical component of Virtual Reality systems through providing tactile feedback that bridges the gap between the virtual and physical worlds. However, neither study extensively explores the role of haptic feedback in enhancing Mixed Reality (MR) experiences for patients. The workflow presented in this study enables the creation of a MR experience with integrated force-based and vibrotactile haptic feedback by connecting a commercial smart glove (SenseGlove NOVA2) to a holographic headset (Microsoft HoloLens2 (HL2)) though a Unity project. Holographic Remoting method was used for the visualization of the scene on HL2 while connected via cable to the computer. Considering that no drivers have been officially implemented to integrate haptic gloves in a MR experience, the hand tracking system of the HL2 has been used demonstrating some difficulty in recognizing the hand wearing the glove. According to this, the main challenges are related to programming aspects concerning the motion capture algorithm of MR and the direct connection of the gloves with the headset to use it as a standalone device. Although there still are some limitations, the system has the potential to make an upgrade of MR experience in the medical field. Rehabilitative and surgical applications would benefit from the integration of haptic feedback.