Verification of Mehcanism How Fabric Actuator Evoke Pinched Tactile by Using Force Distribution Sensor

Various haptic devices are attracting attention in many fields. However, conventional haptic devices have some limits. Electrical stimulation devices are lightweight and flexible, but the area in which the tactile stimulation is provided is spatially limited, and the variation of the tactile stimulation is few. The mechanical stimulation method can provide a widely stable tactile sensation, but it requires a rigid drive or limited mounting area. We developed a fabric actuator that is flexible and freely deformable soft actuator. This actuator is expected to be used in haptic devices, and it was clarified that the device can evoke an unprecedented pinched sensation by the wearer’s sensation. However, it was not clear what mechanism evoked the pinched tactile. In this paper, we used a distribution sensor that can measure shear force to clarify the mechanism. Based on the results of the experiments, it was clarified that the three-dimensional intersections of the artificial muscles evoke a variety of force directions, contributing to the induction of the pinched tactile stimuli that were not previously possible.