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Updated: Jun 28, 2025

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations
Published on: September 16, 2015
Surface shape alters perceived material softness
Hongbo Wang1, Qingyu Sun2, Shogo Okamoto1
1Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract:
When a human strokes the surface of an object with his/her finger, the surface shape influences the perceived softness of the object. This study introduced a curved surface softness illusion, which alters the perception of material softness. When a surface with curvature is felt by sliding a finger over it, it feels softer than a flat surface made of the same material. In contrast, a rugged surface is perceived as harder. This illusion indicates that, in addition to mechanical hardness, humans judge an object's softness based on its surface shape.
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