A Cutaneous Perception Model and Its Examination by Ultrasound Tactile Display

We propose a tentative tactile perception model called Simple Bundle Model and examine it by a tactile display based on ultrasonic radiation pressure. The ultrasonic tactile display reproduces high-resolution stress patterns with wide bandwidth on the skin. It is a multipurpose device for synthesizing high-fidelity tactile feeling, and useful to clarify the human tactile perception. The prototype could produce a 1 mm diameter focal point and 2 gf total force. We carried out experiments on tactile apparent movement using the display and found that tactile apparent movement is evoked quite stably even if the successive stimuli are not vibration but simple indentation. The result supports Simple Bundle Model, which suggests the possibility that a device with a simple structure can display a high-fidelity tactile feeling on a large area of the skin.