Elucidation of tactile texture recognition system of humans using two-dimensional tactile texture display and physical-stochastic model of surface textures

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18KK0313
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (A))
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Intelligent robotics
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University (2021-2023); Nagoya University (2018-2020)
• Principal Investigator: OKAMOTO SHOGO 東京都立大学, システムデザイン研究科, 教授 (10579064)
• Project Period (FY): 2019 – 2023
• Keywords: 触感 / 摩擦 / 振動触覚刺激 / 触感ディスプレイ / 統計モデル / 物理モデル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The principal investigator was scheduled to be affiliated with the research team led by Prof. Yon Visell at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and conduct joint researches. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the transfer of the principal investigator, I abandoned the plan to travel. The research expenses amounted to 95,108 yen, most of which were costs related to obtaining a visa. Since the system does not accept a travel period of zero months in this report, it is stated as one month, but in reality, no travel took place.
The principal investigator attempted to carry out the initial research plan as much as possible in Japan. The core of this research lies in integrating the two main current texture presentation methods: 1) the physical model type and 2) the statistical model type. For this integration, specific methods were developed, implemented, and their effectiveness was verified through user studies.

Free Research Field

ハプティクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の目的は，触覚テクスチャディスプレイの高度化である．ここで，高度化とはよりリアリズムが高いテクスチャ提示を可能とするという意味である．本研究は，商用化の可能性は度外視した２次元触感テクスチャディスプレイというハイスペック装置を用いて，テクスチャ提示の最高性能を目指した．この装置を用いた具体的なテクスチャ提示手法を開発し，その効果を実証しえたことは，ハプティクス分野の頂点を広げたという点で意義が深い．成果はやがて，スマートフォンのタッチパネルなどのための触覚提示機能として還元されると信じている．