Tactile mapping approach using electrical stimulus pattern

The fine concavo-convex shape of the object surface is a critical component that determines its texture. A previous electrotactile display could not tactually present fine concavo-convex objects but only a line pattern on the plane. In this study, the authors proposed a physiology-based tactile mapping method by formulating nerve activities that stem from a mechanical stimulus. The proposed electrical stimulus allows a human to perceive a concavo-convex shape. A stimulus frequency coded the skin displacement given by a concavo-convex shape and represented the adaptation of receptors with exponential approximation. As an example of tactually presenting a concavo-convex shape, roughness was introduced by using a Brownian surface, which enables a user to touch a surface of varying degrees of roughness with a developed tactile display mounted on a computer mouse. The results of subjective experiments showed a statistical difference among the perceived roughness of displayed rough surfaces. This study concluded that the proposed tactile mapping method was effective to present a touch sensation for concavo-convex shapes corresponding to a stimulus frequency below 100 Hz.