Strategies in vibrotactile feedback for improved upper arm posture mapping and replication using inertia sensors

Posture measurement and correction using inertia sensors are finding applications in rehabilitation as well as in human robot interaction systems. This paper presents two designs of arm posture mapping and replication system using inertia sensors and vibrotactile feedback device. The designs differ in the number of vibrotactile actuators and the vibration feedback pattern used. User performance in replicating arm postures when using the different systems were compared. Results show that using fewer vibrotactile actuators to provide feedback is feasible and that a more informative vibration feedback pattern could improve user response time in replicating reference arm postures.