Surface texture detection and emulation

A method, comprising:

• collecting, by one or more surface sensors of a hand-held device comprising a linear actuator, data about a surface as the hand-held device is passed over the surface;
• analyzing, by a controller comprising one or more processors, the collected data to determine features of the surface;
• generating a surface description for the surface, wherein the surface description includes indications of the features of the surface;
• and
• controlling, based at least in part on the surface description, the linear actuator to change a grip distance from the surface to a grippable portion of the hand-held device to simulate a curved surface or alter a curvature of the surface.

A system, comprising:

• a hand-held device, comprising a linear actuator and one or more surface sensors configured to collect data about a physical surface as the hand-held device is passed over the surface;
• a head-mounted device (HMD), comprising a display subsystem configured to display content in a virtual environment;
• and
• one or more processors configured to:
• analyze the data collected by the surface sensors to classify the surface as a surface type;
• control the linear actuator to change a grip distance from a surface to a greppable portion of the hand-held device to simulate a curved surface or alter a curvature of the surface;
• and
• recreate the surface type on a surface in the virtual environment.