Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!sgiblab!starnet!immerse
From: immerse@StarConn.com (Immersion Human Interface Corporation)
Subject: PRESS RELEASE:  Force Feedback Hardware
Message-ID: <D3y554.FMM@StarConn.com>
Organization: Starnet-Public Access UNIX--Los Altos, CA  415-949-3133
Date: Mon, 13 Feb 1995 16:15:02 GMT
Lines: 66

Press Release:  IMPULSE ENGINE(TM) Force Feedback Products
  
FORCE FEEDBACK Computer Peripherals
                              
Immersion Corporation is proud to announce a new line of Force 
Feedback products called the "IMPULSE ENGINE" which adds a whole 
new dimension to the way people interact with computers.  Users can 
actually feel the physical properties of their simulated environments.  
Current Virtual Reality systems allow the simulation to look real and 
sound real.  Now it can FEEL REAL using off-the-shelf hardware.
 
From computer games to medical simulation, the potential 
applications of Force Feedback are astounding.  Imagine the 
possibilities: medical simulation in which users can explore anatomy 
and actually feel realisitic representations of tissues and organs, 
engineering applications in which designers can feel characteristics of 
mechanical structures, scientific applications in which researchers 
can explore data and feel physical properties to attain new
insights, entertainment applications in which users can actually feel 
the impact of a laser blast.  
 
The IMPULSE ENGINE product line includes 4 models to meet 
specific requirements: 
 
The IMPULSE ENGINE 1000: 
    This is a One Degree-of-Freedom Force Feedback interface ("1-D
    Slider").  It allows tracking of linear (in and out) motion and 
     provides high fidelity force feedback.   
 
The IMPULSE ENGINE 2000:
     This is a Two Degree-of-Freedom Force Feedback ( "2-D Joystick"). 
     With this device you can track motion in two degrees of freedom
     and provide force feedback in applications such as computer
     games, flight simulation, entertainment, medical simulation, and
     even telerobotic controls.
 
The IMPULSE ENGINE 3000: 
     This is a 3 Degree-of-Freedom Force Feedback device ("3D 
     Stylus").  Users can manipulate objects in 3-D worlds by grabbing, 
     pushing, pulling, sliding, and jolting objects while actually feeling 
     the physical sensations.  
 
The "LAPAROSCOPIC IMPULSE ENGINE":
    This device provides 5 Degree-of-Freedom Motion and Tracking
    and 3 Degrees-of-freedom Force Feedback.  It is designed for
    virtual reality simulations of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic 
    procedures.  It allows the computer to track the delicate motions 
    of the virtual surgical instruments while also allowing the
    computer to command realistic virtual forces to the users hand.   
 
 
For more information contact 
 
                                IMMERSION CORPORATION
                                3350 Scott Blvd, Bldg. 30
                                Santa Clara CA 95054   USA
                                ph: 408-653-1160
                                fx: 408-654-9360
                                immersion@starconn.com







