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Ultrasound Exposure in Mid-Air Haptics

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Ultrasound Mid-Air Haptics for Touchless Interfaces

Part of the book series: Human–Computer Interaction Series ((HCIS))

Abstract

In this chapter, we review the effects of exposure of the human body to ultrasonic waves and discuss the tolerance sound pressure levels reported in the literature. We then consider the theory of nonlinear absorption and discuss its implications for the optimal safety distance that should be maintained from ultrasonic devices during operation. The aims of this chapter are to provide insight into what is currently known about the safety of mid-air ultrasound and to highlight areas where more research is needed.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by the Adaptable and Seamless Technology Transfer Program through Target-driven R&D (A-STEP) from the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) Grant Number AS3015012R.

We would like to thank Editage (www.editage.com) for English language editing.

We would like to thank the members of the study group formed for the investigation of airborne ultrasound exposure, consisting of experts from Japan on noise problems and/or ultrasonics. We convened the study group in 2020 and held four meetings (in person in March and online in May, July, and September). This chapter is based on the discussion carried out by this study group. Table 4 presents the member list of the study group, and Fig. 10 displays the group photo of the meeting held on March 4, 2020, in Tokyo, Japan.

Table 4 Member list of the study group convened on airborne ultrasound exposure
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Fig. 10
In a black and white group photograph of the fourteen members of the study group, one is on a computer screen, that convened on airborne ultrasound exposure.

Group photo of the first meeting of the study group convened on airborne ultrasound exposure

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pixie Dust Technologies, Inc., Tokyo, Japan

    Takayuki Hoshi

Authors
  1. Takayuki Hoshi
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Correspondence to Takayuki Hoshi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ultraleap, Bristol, UK

    Orestis Georgiou

  2. Ultraleap, Bristol, UK

    William Frier

  3. School of Computing Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Euan Freeman

  4. Institut de Recherche en Informatique et Systèmes Aléatoires (IRISA), Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Rennes, France

    Claudio Pacchierotti

  5. Pixie Dust Technologies, Inc., Tokyo, Japan

    Takayuki Hoshi

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Hoshi, T. (2022). Ultrasound Exposure in Mid-Air Haptics. In: Georgiou, O., Frier, W., Freeman, E., Pacchierotti, C., Hoshi, T. (eds) Ultrasound Mid-Air Haptics for Touchless Interfaces. Human–Computer Interaction Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04043-6_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04043-6_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-04042-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-04043-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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