MagniFinger: Magnified perception by a fingertip probe microscope

Title: MagniFinger: Magnified perception by a fingertip probe microscope

Teams: The University of Tokyo

Writers: Noriyasu Obushi;Sohei Wakisaka;Shunichi Kasahara;Atsushi Hiyama; Masahiko Inami

Publication date: July 2019

Abstract

We propose MagniFinger, a fingertip-worn microscopy device that augments the limited abilities of human visual and tactile sensory systems in micrometer-scale environments. MagniFinger makes use of the finger’s dexterous motor skills to achieve precise and intuitive control while allowing the user to observe the desired position simply by placing a fingertip. To implement the fingertip-sized device and its tactile display, we have built a system comprising a ball lens, an image sensor, and a thin piezoelectric actuator. Vibration-based tactile feedback is displayed based on the luminance of a magnified image, providing the user with the feeling of touching the magnified world.