The Effect of Kinetic Friction on Lateral Stroking Perception in a Virtual Environment
Journal
Human Factors
ISSN
00187208
Date Issued
2026
Author(s)
Lin, Chia-Wei
Abstract
Objective:: This study aims to develop a hybrid handheld tactile device that integrates texture vibration feedback and kinetic friction to enhance lateral stroking tactile discrimination in virtual environments. Background: Lateral motion is the primary method humans use to explore object textures, involving both normal texture vibration and lateral friction tactile feedback. However, most tactile devices rely solely on vibration-based feedback, limiting their ability to accurately replicate realistic surface textures and friction sensations in virtual environments. Method: A hybrid handheld tactile device was designed to simulate kinetic friction forces during lateral motion by inducing fingerpad skin stretching, while surface texture information was conveyed through vertical vibrations. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of fingerpad skin stretch in enhancing lateral stroking tactile perception. Results: Findings indicate that vibration feedback alone was effective for distinguishing textures with large vibration differences but struggled with textures that had similar vibration patterns. The integration of lateral skin stretch significantly improved texture discrimination accuracy, increasing overall perception accuracy from 57.5% to 81.9%. Additionally, participants reported that lateral force feedback enhanced realism, reinforcing its importance in virtual tactile perception. Conclusion: The inclusion of lateral skin stretch improves texture discrimination, making haptic interactions more realistic and perceptually accurate. Application: The proposed hybrid tactile device can enhance virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and remote haptic interaction systems by providing more realistic tactile feedback. Potential applications include medical simulations, virtual training environments, remote robotic control, and interactive touch-based interfaces, where precise tactile perception is crucial.
Subjects
kinetic friction
lateral stroking
surface texture
tactile feedback
virtual environment
Publisher
SAGE Publications Inc.
Type
journal article