Aligning Affective Responses with Fabric Features of Vehicle Seat: An Approach Using the Rasch Measurement Model

Abstract

The development of a theory-driven scale to measure tactile interaction based on user affective experience with two physical characteristics of fabric of vehicle seats was examined. Volunteers slid their fingertips on samples of fabric, giving assessment ratings on kansei statements. Roughness of the fabric surfaces was obtained using a metallic probe. Coefficient of friction was measured through an artificial fingertip attached to a tribometer. Using the Rasch model, a scale with quantitative properties was constructed. The resulting interval scale allowed the regression between the fabric locations on the linear continuum originating from affective responses and samples' roughness. The regression was noticeably non-linear, pointing to a cluster of stimuli with relatively higher likelihood of endorsement to the pool of kansei statements. However, a similar cluster for coefficient of friction was not identified. Nevertheless, the alignment of coefficient of friction with affective responses was indirectly established using roughness as a sharing component.