5529 A study on tactile recognition for two dimensional figures : Discrimination precision of ellipses using a finger tip and a thenar
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In order to enhance capability of the man-machine interface, we are attempting to investigate the influence of the proprioception, and to clarify cooperated processing with the cutaneous sensation. We performed a series of experiments based on psychophysics, in which we adopted a circle and eight kinds of oval as stimuli. The diameter of circle is 10mm, and minor axes of eight kinds of oval are decreased in 3% step from circle. And we have equally adjusted the oval area to equal the circle area. Subject judged which stimulus presented on right or left panel equals the circle. The experiment conducted on both of the fingertip and the thenar. We compared result obtained by thenar and calculated result based on density of mechanoreceptive unit distributed over the thenar. As a result, the characteristics of the thenar are different from that of the fingertip, and it was suggested that at least two systems seem to act on the thenar.
