Quantitative tactile display device with pin-array type tactile feedback and thermal feedback

Abstract

This paper proposes a tactile display device providing pin-array type tactile feedback and thermal feedback. The pin-array type tactile display is composed of a 6times5 pin-array that is actuated by 30 piezoelectric bimorphs. Micro shape and vibrotactile feedback can be generated by the device, and various planar distributed patterns can be displayed as can braille cell patterns. The thermal feedback device is composed of a thin film resistance temperature detector (RTD), a Peltier thermoelectric heat pump and a water cooling jacket. Users can discriminate among different materials by considering the temperature variation that can be sensed as they touch an object's surface. This paper also includes an experimental evaluation of the device to prove effectiveness of displaying textures. Material property discriminating evaluation was conducted using thermal feedback device that displays simulated temperature profile. To determine the relation between stimulated area and thermal perception sensitivity, a thermal perception experimental setup is developed and the experimental method is described