Dynamic shaping of multi-touch stimuli by programmable acoustic metamaterial

Area of Science:

• Acoustic metamaterials
• Solid-state physics
• Wave propagation

Background:

• Acoustic metamaterials offer unique wave manipulation capabilities.
• Static properties limit practical applications of traditional metamaterials.
• Active tuning is crucial for dynamic control.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce a novel active acoustic metamaterial with self-tuning capabilities.
• Enable real-time reconfiguration of waveguides and vibration patterns.
• Explore applications in tactile displays.

Main Methods:

• Utilized dual-state unit cells: vibration sources when powered, passive resonators when disconnected.
• Implemented electronic commutations for state switching.
• Conducted experiments to demonstrate tailored acceleration fields.

Main Results:

• Achieved self-tuning band gaps matching carrier signals around 200 Hz.
• Demonstrated real-time reconfiguration of waveguides.
• Showcased spatial encoding of information via tailored acceleration fields.

Conclusions:

• The novel active metamaterial offers dynamic control over acoustic properties.
• The technology is manufacturable using readily available smartphone vibration motors.
• Paves the way for widespread adoption of multi-touch tactile displays.