Influence of spatial summation on the illusory movement induced by tendon vibrations

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20105
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59030:Physical education, and physical and health education-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Principal Investigator: Ohshima Hiroyuki 地方独立行政法人東京都立産業技術研究センター, 事業化支援本部地域技術支援部墨田支所, 副主任研究員 (20751126)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 知覚運動協応 / 感覚運動変換 / 深部感覚 / 感覚入力 / 知覚運動学習 / 機械的腱振動刺激 / リハビリテーション / バーチャルリアリティー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Tendon vibration causes illusory movement in human limbs, which is a kinesthetic sensation experienced in the absence of any actual joint movement. This phenomenon can be effectively used to generate kinesthetic sensation, which can solve various problems. However, because of the previously unknown relationship between the stimulus and perceptual characteristics, its implementation is limited. This study investigated the synergetic effect of the contact surface area and the joint angle. Participants were asked to take two subjective evaluations of the vividness and range of extension of their elbow-joint angle. During the illusory motion, both parameters increased with the contact surface area and the flection angle of the elbow joint. Thus, the contact surface area and joint angle had a synergistic effect on the perceptual characteristics of the illusory movement.

Free Research Field

身体運動科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

卓越した身体技能の習得は，スポーツや身体表現の分野だけでなく，スキルを要求されるあらゆる分野で避けては通れない．本研究の成果により，運動主体の運動感覚の伝達という運動学習における本質的な課題を解決する突破口となる可能性がある．従来の学習者の試行錯誤に依存する学習手法を脱して，スポーツ，リハビリ，技能伝承などあらゆる運動学習領域に対して新たな方法論の確立に向けた基礎的なデータを取得することができた．また，本研究で得られたデバイスは，バーチャルリアリティやハプティックス等の異分野での運動感覚提示デバイスとして広く波及することも期待される．