Engineering data compendium. Human perception and performance. User's guide

The concept underlying the Engineering Data Compendium was the product of a research and development program (Integrated Perceptual Information for Designers project) aimed at facilitating the application of basic research findings in human performance to the design and military crew systems. The principal objective was to develop a workable strategy for: (1) identifying and distilling information of potential value to system design from the existing research literature, and (2) presenting this technical information in a way that would aid its accessibility, interpretability, and applicability by systems designers. The present four volumes of the Engineering Data Compendium represent the first implementation of this strategy. This is the first volume, the User's Guide, containing a description of the program and instructions for its use

Investigating Electrotactile Feedback on The Hand

Electrotactile feedback can be used as a novel method to evoke different sensations on the skin. However, there is a lack of research exploring electrotactile feedback on the palm. This paper presents two experiments that in- vestigate the effects of manipulating pulse width, amplitude and frequency of electrical stimulation on perceived sensations (urgency, annoyance, valence and arousal) on the palm. In the first study, we manipulated pulse width and frequency. The results showed that both parameters have a significant effect on the perceived sensations, except for frequency not having an effect on valence. Also, frequencies of 30Hz and above did not influence the perceived sensations. In the second study, we manipulated amplitude and frequency. The results showed that both parameters have a significant effect on perceived sensations, especially for frequencies lower than 30Hz. From both experiments, the increment of pulse width and amplitude led to a higher rating for urgency, annoyance and arousal. These results gives us a better understanding of the parameter space of electrotactile feedback to enable designers to create effective electrotactile feedback

Investigating Electrotactile Feedback on The Hand

Electrotactile feedback can be used as a novel method to evoke different sensations on the skin. However, there is a lack of research exploring electrotactile feedback on the palm. This paper presents two experiments that in- vestigate the effects of manipulating pulse width, amplitude and frequency of electrical stimulation on perceived sensations (urgency, annoyance, valence and arousal) on the palm. In the first study, we manipulated pulse width and frequency. The results showed that both parameters have a significant effect on the perceived sensations, except for frequency not having an effect on valence. Also, frequencies of 30Hz and above did not influence the perceived sensations. In the second study, we manipulated amplitude and frequency. The results showed that both parameters have a significant effect on perceived sensations, especially for frequencies lower than 30Hz. From both experiments, the increment of pulse width and amplitude led to a higher rating for urgency, annoyance and arousal. These results gives us a better understanding of the parameter space of electrotactile feedback to enable designers to create effective electrotactile feedback

A Vibrotactile Display Design, evaluation and Fabrication

Vision and audition are the two best understood modalities which humans use to interact with the outside world. These modalities can provide highly precise spatial and temporal information. Thus, the field of human-computer interface design has focused much of their study and design on these modalities. On the other hand, the sense of touch has been largely ignored despite the fact that it is an essential part of human ability to interact with the environment. We are interested to identify key findings on how to use tactile technology effectively to design and fabricate a tactile interface. We intend to design a wearable tactile interface which can assist Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) operators in supervisory control and monitoring tasks. Tactile displays are usually comprised of vibratory stimulators which are arranged in specific formation based on the application of the display. Quantitative properties of a vibrating tactor which was used as the vibratory stimulator in our tactile interface were investigated and evaluated in this study. We executed a series of experiments to investigate the intensity of vibrations that the vibrating tactor can generate when it is being activated through different electrical signals. Driving signals were different in terms of waveform, frequency and amplitude. By applying the outcomes of our experiments, and using the available guidelines for the design of tactile displays, we proposed some methods for displaying flight dynamics (Roll, Pitch and Yaw) of a UAV through a tactile display which is structured in form of a vest. Due to the relative infancy of this branch of information presentation, and also the lack of thorough discussion within the scientific community we need to execute further experiments to evaluate the performance of the suggested tactile display

Engineering Data Compendium. Human Perception and Performance, Volume 1

The concept underlying the Engineering Data Compendium was the product an R and D program (Integrated Perceptual Information for Designers project) aimed at facilitating the application of basic research findings in human performance to the design of military crew systems. The principal objective was to develop a workable strategy for: (1) identifying and distilling information of potential value to system design from existing research literature, and (2) presenting this technical information in a way that would aid its accessibility, interpretability, and applicability by system designers. The present four volumes of the Engineering Data Compendium represent the first implementation of this strategy. This is Volume 1, which contains sections on Visual Acquisition of Information, Auditory Acquisition of Information, and Acquisition of Information by Other Senses

Gamma Band Oscillation Response to Somatosensory Feedback Stimulation Schemes Constructed on Basis of Biphasic Neural Touch Representation

abstract: Prosthetic users abandon devices due to difficulties performing tasks without proper graded or interpretable feedback. The inability to adequately detect and correct error of the device leads to failure and frustration. In advanced prostheses, peripheral nerve stimulation can be used to deliver sensations, but standard schemes used in sensorized prosthetic systems induce percepts inconsistent with natural sensations, providing limited benefit. Recent uses of time varying stimulation strategies appear to produce more practical sensations, but without a clear path to pursue improvements. This dissertation examines the use of physiologically based stimulation strategies to elicit sensations that are more readily interpretable. A psychophysical experiment designed to investigate sensitivities to the discrimination of perturbation direction within precision grip suggests that perception is biomechanically referenced: increased sensitivities along the ulnar-radial axis align with potential anisotropic deformation of the finger pad, indicating somatosensation uses internal information rather than environmental. Contact-site and direction dependent deformation of the finger pad activates complimentary fast adapting and slow adapting mechanoreceptors, exhibiting parallel activity of the two associate temporal patterns: static and dynamic. The spectrum of temporal activity seen in somatosensory cortex can be explained by a combined representation of these distinct response dynamics, a phenomenon referred in this dissertation to “biphasic representation.” In a reach-to-precision-grasp task, neurons in somatosensory cortex were found to possess biphasic firing patterns in their responses to texture, orientation, and movement. Sensitivities seem to align with variable deformation and mechanoreceptor activity: movement and smooth texture responses align with potential fast adapting activation, non-movement and coarse texture responses align with potential increased slow adapting activation, and responses to orientation are conceptually consistent with coding of tangential load. Using evidence of biphasic representations’ association with perceptual priorities, gamma band phase locking is used to compare responses to peripheral nerve stimulation patterns and mechanical stimulation. Vibrotactile and punctate mechanical stimuli are used to represent the practical and impractical percepts commonly observed in peripheral nerve stimulation feedback. Standard patterns of constant parameters closely mimic impractical vibrotactile stimulation while biphasic patterns better mimic punctate stimulation and provide a platform to investigate intragrip dynamics representing contextual activation.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Biomedical Engineering 201

A review of the physiology and psychophysics of tactile sensory response. Project 2817, report one : a progress report to Members of Group project 2817

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