Wearable Sensorimotor Enhancer for Fingertip Based on Stochastic Resonance Effect

• Published in: IEEE transactions on human-machine systems Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 333 - 337
• Main Authors: Kurita, Y., Shinohara, M., Ueda, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.05.2013; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Computer science; control theory; systems; Computer systems and distributed systems. User interface; Devices; Exact sciences and technology; Fingertip; Fluctuation phenomena, random processes, noise, and brownian motion; Grasping; Human; motor performance; Motors; Physics; Receptors; Sensors; Software; Statistical physics, thermodynamics, and nonlinear dynamical systems; Stochastic resonance; stochastic resonance (SR); Studies; Tactile; tactile sensitivity; Tactile sensors; Vibration; Wearable; Wearable computers; wearable device; Prototype; Vibration; Finger; Tactile receptor; Motor control; Somatosensory system; Bistability; wearable device; Tactile sensitivity; Stochastic resonance; stochastic resonance (SR); User interface; Fingertip; White noise; Sensorial perception; motor performance; Mobile computing; Structural acoustics
• ISSN: 2168-2291; 2168-2305
• DOI: 10.1109/TSMC.2013.2242886

This paper reports on the results of an experiment involving a wearable sensorimotor enhancer intended to improve tactile sensitivity in human fingertips. As briefly exposing tactile receptors to subsensory vibration is known to enhance tactile sensitivity thanks to a phenomenon called stochastic resonance in the somatosensory system, applying white-noise vibration to a fingertip is expected to improve the sense of touch and associated motor skills. Against such a background, a prototype of a wearable device called a sensorimotor enhancer is proposed here. The device is attached to the radial side of the fingertip and stimulates tactile receptors by applying vibration from a lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric stack actuator. This design keeps the palmar region free, thereby helping to maintain the wearer's manipulative ability. Sensory and motor tests involving 11 human subjects were conducted to determine the efficacy of the device, and the results confirmed its usefulness.