Soft Wearable Skin-Stretch Device for Haptic Feedback Using Twisted and Coiled Polymer Actuators

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Materials Science

Background:

• Soft and integrated designs are crucial for wearable haptic devices to enhance natural human touch.
• Silicone elastomers offer high compliance and adhesion, making them suitable for wearable sensors and haptics.
• Twisted and coiled polymer (TCP) actuators provide a high power-to-weight ratio, large stroke length, and inherent softness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and develop a novel, soft, finger-worn wearable haptic device.
• To utilize compliant silicone skin and lightweight TCP actuators for lateral skin stretch sensations.
• To evaluate the performance of the developed haptic prototype.

Main Methods:

• Designed and manufactured a soft, finger-worn wearable haptic prototype using silicone elastomers and TCP actuators with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers.
• Evaluated prototype performance using an optical tracking system and a force gauge test bench.
• Conducted an experiment with 14 healthy participants comparing the prototype's haptic feedback to vibrotactile feedback.

Main Results:

• Participant mean reaction times with the new haptic device were comparable to those achieved with vibrotactile feedback.
• Task completion times were longer when using the developed soft wearable haptic device compared to vibrotactile feedback.
• This research marks the first use of TCP actuators for haptic stimulation.

Conclusions:

• The developed soft wearable haptic device effectively provides lateral skin stretch sensations.
• The prototype's performance suggests potential for future applications in gaming, health, and virtual reality.
• This work lays the groundwork for advancing soft wearable haptic technology.