Tactile simulation of initial contact with virtual objects

A system comprising:

• a visual display;
• a vibrotactile stimulator;
• at least one physical processor;
• and
• physical memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the physical processor, cause the physical processor to perform operations comprising:
• presenting, using the visual display, an artificial environment to a user;
• determining whether a virtual contact is being initiated between a virtual object in the artificial environment and a surface location of the user served by the vibrotactile stimulator;
• and
• actuating, in response to determining that a virtual contact is being initiated between the virtual object and the surface location, the vibrotactile stimulator to generate a vibrotactile signal to simulate the initiation of the virtual contact at the surface location, wherein:
• the vibrotactile signal comprises a magnitude-varying signal
• having a decay rate that is positively related to a simulated rigidity of the virtual object as presented by the visual display.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

• present, using a visual display, an artificial environment to a user;
• determine whether a virtual contact is being initiated between a virtual object in the artificial environment and a surface location of the user served by a vibrotactile stimulator coupled to the user;
• and
• actuate, in response to determining that a virtual contact is being initiated between the virtual object and the surface location, the vibrotactile stimulator to generate a vibrotactile signal to simulate the initiation of the virtual contact at the surface location, wherein:
• the vibrotactile signal comprises a magnitude-varying signal
• having a decay rate that is positively related to a simulated rigidity of the virtual object as presented by the visual display.