The Impact of Stimulation Intensity on Spatial Discrimination with Multi-Pad Finger Electrode
Author/s
Malešević, Jovana; Isaković, Milica; Garenfeld, Martin A.; Došen, Strahinja; Štrbac, MatijaDate
2021-11-01Keywords
Psychometric evaluation
Electrotactile interface
Haptic feedback
Perception thresholds
Intensity modulation
Spatial recognition
Virtual reality
Abstract
Multi-pad electrotactile stimulation can be used to provide tactile feedback in different applications. The electrotactile interface needs to be calibrated before each use, which entails adjusting the intensity to obtain clear sensations while allowing the subjects to differentiate between active pads. The present study investigated how the stimulation intensity affects the localization of sensations using a multi-pad electrode placed on a fingertip and proximal phalange. First, the sensation, localization, smearing and discomfort thresholds were determined in 11 subjects. Then, the same subjects performed a spatial discrimination test across a range of stimulation intensities. The results have shown that all thresholds were significantly different, while there was no difference in the threshold values between the pads and phalanges. Despite the subjective feeling of spreading of sensations, the success rates in spatial discrimination were not significantly different across the tested ...
Type
article