A Study of Virtual Tactile Feel Display for Touch of Clothes

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The objective of this research is a virtual tactile feel display for touch of clothes including qualitative information. Ionic Conducting Polymer gel Film (ICPF) actuator can solve the conventional problem of tactile displays in efficient softness, multidegree-of-freedom stimulation, control of fine distributed stimuli and control of direction of stimuli on human skin. A tactile display system for a delicate touch like a cloth in response to hand movements was developed using ICPF actuators.Research results are summarized as below.1) Development of wearable stimulation device using ICPF actuatorsA ciliiform device which has minute distributed structure and make multidegree-of freedom stimulation was developed using ICPF actuators. The device was also successfully made so smaller in size and weight that a wearable display system was developed which could produce a proper stimulation in response to measured hand motion data.2) Stimulation method of producing complex tactile feelingA method of simulating several kinds of tactile receptors at the same time with composite waves of low and high frequencies was proposed. Comparison with real materials showed that the method could express subtle difference of tactile feelings like touch of clothes. Especially, the half of subjects could recognize the artificial touch as a towel and denim.3) Stimulation method in response to hand movementsA stimulation method which generates selective stimuli to sense receptors in accordance with velocities and accelerations of hand motions was proposed. Evaluation of the tactile feeling showed that the method could produce natural feelings of hand movements.4) Modeling of ICPF considering substantial ionic motionModeling of ICPF considering a mechanism for designing and controlling the device.5) Evaluation of integration with visual informationEffect of visual information on tactile sensations was evaluated quantitatively by a sensory integrated display.