Abstract
In this paper we demonstrate tactile display with large displacement MEMS actuator arrays. The actuator consists of piezoelectric actuators and hydraulic displacement amplification mechanism (HDAM) that encapsulates liquids in micro-chambers with two flexible polymer membranes. HDAM can amplify the displacement of MEMS actuator. We experimentally applied large displacement MEMS actuator arrays to a vibrational Braille code display. Tactile receptors are more sensitive, i.e. have smaller threshold to vibrational stimuli at frequencies from several tens to several hundreds of Hz. Therefore, the vibrational Braille code display we developed was more efficient than the static one. And, we investigated the artificial tactile feeling generated while the actuation pattern was controlled both temporally and spatially. The arrays could successfully display "rough" and "smooth" tactile feeling distinctly when the vibrational frequency of the individual actuator and switching time of lines of actuators were controlled.
