ProFeel: low cost visual-haptic perceptualization of protein structure-structure alignments.

We describe ProFeel, an application for exploring molecular data from protein structure-structure alignments using a force-feedback joystick. Protein structure analysis is a useful application for multimodal information perceptualization because researchers in this area typically use several independent measures in assessment. A system that allows the user to simultaneously evaluate different criteria would therefore be quite useful. Four variables are assigned three different haptic effects each to allow the user to discern twelve separate data values. The haptic representation is coupled with a traditional molecular graphics visual display.