Our perception of cold enriches our understanding of the world and allows us
to interact with it. Therefore, the presentation of cold sensations will be
beneficial in improving the sense of immersion and presence in virtual reality
and the metaverse. This study proposed a novel method for spatially continuous
cold sensation presentation based on low-temperature airflows. We defined the
shortest distance between two airflows perceived as different cold stimuli as a
local cold stimulus group discrimination threshold (LCSGDT). By setting the
distance between airflows within the LCSGDT, spatially continuous cold
sensations can be achieved with an optimal number of cold airflows. We
hypothesized that the LCSGDTs are related to the heat-transfer capability of
airflows and developed a model to relate them. We investigated the LCSGDTs at a
flow rate of 25 L/min and presentation distances ranging from 10 to 50 mm. The
results showed that under these conditions, the LCSGDTs are 131.4 ± 1.9 mm,
and the heat-transfer capacity of the airflow corresponding to these LCSGDTs is
an almost constant value, that is, 0.92.Comment: 7 page