Tactile Presentation Scheme Based on Physiological Characteristics of the Fingertip

Abstract

In the case of the product purchase decision making in e-commerce, the tactile sensation a user can obtain from products is restricted. Our goal is to construct a framework for tactile measurement and presentation to remove such restrictions. To realize high-accuracy tactile presentation, we analyze the mechanical characteristics of the fingertip. We measured and analyzed the interactional force of the contact face when stroking the surface of fabrics. We found a filter-bank like structure of vibration information processing on the fingertip. In addition, we propose a tactile presentation scheme based on this physiological characteristic. To evaluate the validity of the proposed scheme, we produced a tactile presentation device for fabrics and evaluated the reproducibility of tactile sensation. The results demonstrate that it is possible to represent basic material texture characteristics, such as roughness and softness. This study provides key technological knowledge for constructing a framework for tactile measurement and presentation. Furthermore, this study promotes the use of sensory information relative to tactile sensation in e-commerce, such as the visual and auditory senses.