Haptics technology in Educational Applications, a Case Study
Michael Pantelios, Labros Tsiknas, Sotiris Christodoulou, Theodore Papatheodorou HPCLab, Computer Engineering & Informatics Dept., University of Patras, Greece {pantelio,tsiknas,spc,tsp}@hpclab.ceid.upatras.gr Abstract
In this paper we study and introduce some ideas of applying Haptics technology in the field of Education. We argue that Haptics technology of virtually touching and feeling objects and forces, enhances the existing methods and procedures of teaching and learning and it is a valuable tool for pupils and students to apprehend certain aspects of knowledge. The effectiveness of Educational applications concerning school age children can be enhanced by the immersion that Haptics technology provides. During the proposed Haptics applications, children are able to experience nature laws, shapes and behaviours, using special input devices, like Gloves, Force-Feedback devices, etc. The objects that appear visually on the screen also exist physically in a virtual way in order to provide the impression that they can be touched and manipulated as if they were real objects. Integrating and using the haptic metaphor in the learning procedure, children better comprehend ideas concerning several subjects of Science, such as the Newtonian laws, space phenomena and mechanics assembly
1. Introduction – Background
In the recent years, education has been influenced by technology evolution in several ways. Informatics has offered various tools and methodologies that led in applications with visual or acoustical interaction. Picture and motion aided in the apprehension of the Physic World and helped students acquire a better image of certain chapters of Science. It appears that there is a difficulty in understanding certain aspects of the Physic World because more than vision and hearing is required in order to fully perceive the physic phenomena and the laws that rule them. It is hard for a teacher to...