Tactile changes in fabrics induced by ultrasonic vibration

When an object that vibrates ultrasonically is touched, a squeeze film is created between the object and the skin surface, reducing friction on the object surface. This phenomenon can be utilized to make the texture of the target object disappear or change. Therefore, this method has potential to virtually reproduce various textures of cloth. However, it is not clear what and to what extent ultrasonic vibration will cause textural changes to cloth. In this study, we investigated what kind of tactile change is caused by ultrasonic vibration. As the method, a sensory evaluation of the tactile feel of the fabric in the presence and absence of ultrasonic vibration was conducted. The result was that ultrasonic vibration made the fabric feel smoother and softer than usual. In relation to the physical properties of the fabric, a fabric with a larger compression resilience value has a greater change in hardness due to ultrasonic vibration and is more likely to feel softer.