  We present Adaptic, a novel "hybrid" active/passive haptic device that can
change shape to act as a proxy for a range of virtual objects in VR. We use
Adaptic with haptic retargeting to redirect the user's hand to provide haptic
feedback for several virtual objects in arm's reach using only a single prop.
To evaluate the effectiveness of Adaptic with haptic retargeting, we conducted
a within-subjects experiment employing a docking task to compare Adaptic to
non-matching proxy objects (i.e., Styrofoam balls) and matching shape props. In
our study, Adaptic sat on a desk in front of the user and changed shapes
between grasps, to provide matching tactile feedback for various virtual
objects placed in different virtual locations. Results indicate that the
illusion was convincing: users felt they were manipulating several virtual
objects in different virtual locations with a single Adaptic device. Docking
performance (completion time and accuracy) with Adaptic was comparable to props
without haptic retargeting.
