A multi-modal mouse with tactile and force feedback

We have developed a mouse with tactile and force feedback. Tactile information is provided to the operator by a small pin which projects slightly through the mouse button when pulsed. Force information is provided by an electromagnet inside the mouse in conjunction with an iron mouse pad. Tactile and force feedback are controlled by software linked to the visual information of targets on the visual display. In an empirical evaluation using a target selection task, the addition of tactile and force feedback shortened the response time and widened the effective area of targets. Design issues for interactive systems are discussed.