skin drag displays

dragging a physical tactor across the

user’s skin
produces a stronger stimulus than
vibrotactile

Alexandra Ion, Edward Wang, Patrick Baudisch

introduction
in contact with the
wearer
single vibrotactile skin
motor arrays stretch

[Lee, CHI EA’09]

[Gleeson,
Haptics’10]

[Israr, CHI’11]
single vibrotactile skin
motor arrays stretch

[Lee, CHI EA’09]

[Gleeson,
Haptics’10]

[Israr, CHI’11]
single vibrotactile skin
motor arrays stretch

[Lee, CHI EA’09]

[Gleeson,
Haptics’10]

[Israr, CHI’11]
mechanorecepto
rs

touch vibration pressure skin stretch

 however, stimulates only
fast adapting receptors

PC

vibrotactile
 however, stimulates only skin stretch stimulates only
fast adapting receptors few slowly adapting receptors

SA1
SA2
PC

vibrotactile skin stretch

 however, stimulates only skin stretch stimulates only
fast adapting receptors few slowly adapting receptors

+ =

vibrotactile skin stretch skin drag

skin drag
displays

tactor
implementation
challenge
sarm has a low receptor
density
the device needs to cover a larger surface
we need to respect the arm’s curvature
building for the arm’s
curvature
based on rotating
diaphragm

0°

platform rotates tactor moves

back and forth
0°
45°
90°
rotation
 stationary
gear

fixed on
frame

rotation axis
linear motion
follow
deformation
ball chain
deforms
electronics
study
(1) skin drag
interface
a b
(2) 4×4 vibrotactile
array
[Lee, CHI
b
EA’09]
hypothes
is

error rate

<
skin drag vibrotactile
shape
s

directional compound curved

directional compound curved

3 blocks, 8 participants (age M = 22.12 years, SD = 3.22)

error rate

p = .020
100%

80%
*

60%

40%

20%

0%
overall

skin drag vibrotactile

error rate

p = .020
100%

80%
*

60%

40%

20%

0%
overall 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

skin drag vibrotactile

watch-size
prototype
key to miniaturization:
the polar design
rotating
capsule
radius
assembly
conclusion
 contributio
ns

concept of skin drag displays engineering for curved device

100%

skin drag 80% *

vibrotactile
60%

40%

20%

0%
study: it is worth investigating
overall feasibility: actual wearable form
future
work
study the performance of the watch-size prototype
effect of location (wrist vs. forearm)
effects of size

design shape alphabet for tactile letter reading

what if we have multiple devices all over the whole body?

build a flexible version of the forearm-worn prototype
that adjusts to different arms or limbs
skin drag displays
dragging a physical tactor across the
user’s skin
produces a stronger stimulus than
vibrotactile

Alexandra Ion, Edward Wang, Patrick Baudisch

end