Title
Soft Wearable Skin-Stretch Device for Haptic Feedback using Twisted and Coiled Polymer Actuators.
Abstract
Soft and integrated design can enable wearable haptic devices to augment natural human taction. This paper proposes a novel, soft, haptic finger-worn wearable device based on compliant and adhesive silicone skin and lightweight twisted and coiled polymer (TCP) actuators using ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers to provide lateral skin stretch sensations. Recently, silicone elastomers have been used in wearable sensors and in haptic applications for their high compliance or adhesion. TCP actuators have also demonstrated high power to weight ratios, large stroke length, simple mechanism, and inherent softness. Lateral skin stretch is sensitive to small motions and has been used for intuitive proprioceptive feedback applications. We combined these characteristics to design and manufacture a wearable, functional haptic prototype. Prototype performance was evaluated using an optical tracking system, a force gauge test bench, and compared to vibrotactile haptic feedback in a experiment with 14 healthy participants. Results showed that participant mean reaction times were comparable to those of a vibrotactile feedback system, though task completion times were longer. This paper is the first to employ TCP actuators for haptic stimulation and could serve as a foundation for future applications involving soft wearable haptics in gaming, health, and virtual reality.
Year
DOI
Venue
2019
10.1109/TOH.2019.2943154
IEEE transactions on haptics
Keywords
Field
DocType
Haptic interfaces,Actuators,Skin,Polyethylene,Vibrations,Prototypes
Polymer,Virtual reality,Test bench,Computer science,Wearable computer,Simulation,Control engineering,Integrated design,Force gauge,Haptic technology,Actuator
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
12
4
1939-1412
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
1
0.35
0
Authors
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Jean-Baptiste Chossat1131.92
Daniel K Y Chen251.16
Yong-Lae Park321026.70
Pete Shull4184.91