抄録
This paper describes the characteristics of haptic sensation that is evoked at the finger skin by a shear force presented using rotational contactors. The psychophysical experiment was performed to provide a design basis for a shear force distribution display with six rotating shafts. The tactile sensation scaling for a shaft contactor was performed regarding five contactor conditions and two directions of rotation. Approximately six to eight levels were discriminated in the given 100-to-1500rpm range at the very tip of an index finger. The sensitivity difference among stimulation sites on a fingertip was investigated; the result showed that the highest sensitivity was observed at the fingertip. The interference between two shear stimulations added by a pair of shafts with a 3-mm interval was measured to show the masking effect. The results demonstrated that the sensitivity decreased with the increase of the intensity level provided by an adjacent contactor. These results provide valuable information to optimize the design of the shear force distribution display.
