Unlike visual and auditory media, physical sensations are difficult to create and capture, limiting the availability of diverse haptic content. Converting common media formats like video into haptics offers a promising solution, but existing video-to-haptics methods depend on specific characteristics, such as camera motion or predefined actions, and rely on spatial haptic hardware (e.g., motion chair, haptic vest). We introduce HapticLens, an interactive method for creating haptics from video, supported by an open-source GUI and two vision algorithms. Our method works with arbitrary video content, detects subtle motion, and requires only a single vibrotactile actuator. We evaluate HapticLens through technical experiments and a study with 22 participants. Results demonstrate it supports interactive vibration design with high designer satisfaction for its usability and haptic signals’ overall quality and relevance. This work broadens the accessibility of video-driven haptics, offering a practical method to create and experience tactile content.

Designing haptic effects is a complex, time-consuming process requiring specialized skills and tools. To support haptic design, we introduce HapticGen, a generative model designed to create vibrotactile signals from text inputs. We conducted a formative workshop to identify requirements for an AI-driven haptic model. Given the limited size of existing haptic datasets, we trained HapticGen on a large, labeled dataset of 335k audio samples using an automated audio-to-haptic conversion method. Expert haptic designers then used HapticGen's integrated interface to prompt and rate signals, creating a haptic-specific preference dataset for fine-tuning. We evaluated the fine-tuned HapticGen with 32 users, qualitatively and quantitatively, in an A/B comparison against a baseline text-to-audio model with audio-to-haptic conversion. Results show significant improvements in five haptic experience (e.g., realism) and system usability factors (e.g., future use). Qualitative feedback indicates HapticGen streamlines the ideation process for designers and helps generate diverse, nuanced vibrations.

Mid-air ultrasound haptic technology can enhance user interaction and immersion in extended reality (XR) applications through contactless touch feedback. Yet, existing design tools for mid-air haptics primarily support creating tactile sensations (i.e., tactons) which cannot change at runtime. These tactons lack expressiveness in interactive scenarios where a continuous closed-loop response to user movement or environmental states is desirable. This paper introduces AdapTics, a toolkit featuring a graphical interface for rapid prototyping of adaptive tactons—dynamic sensations that can adjust at runtime based on user interactions, environmental changes, or other inputs. A software library and a Unity package accompany the graphical interface to enable integration of adaptive tactons in existing applications. We present the design space offered by AdapTics for creating adaptive mid-air ultrasound tactons and show the design tool can improve Creativity Support Index ratings for Exploration and Expressiveness in a user study with 12 XR and haptic designers.