Funabot-Sleeve: A Wearable Device Employing McKibben Artificial Muscles for Haptic Sensation in the Forearm

Haptic feedback systems play a critical role in enriching the user experience in human-robot interaction. However, existing devices designed for evoking haptic sensations often face limitations owing to their low degree of freedom of deformation. In this study, we introduce the Funabot-Sleeve, a haptic device based on McKibben artificial muscles, and investigate its potential to evoke a range of haptic sensations using both steady-state and transient air pressure patterns. Our investigation examines the influence of these patterns on evoking distinct haptic sensations and identifies four specific sensations that can be evoked: Embraced, Pinched, a combination of Embraced and Pressed, and Twisted sensations. Across all participants, the evoked sensations showed positive correlations, with most correlations exceeding a value of 0.4, indicating a high degree of agreement in the sensations felt by the subjects. Our research lays the groundwork for the design of fabric actuators, capable of replicating specific stimuli and skin surface effects, thereby enabling a more sophisticated and personalized haptic feedback experience.

I. Introduction

The haptic device has received much attention in recent years because it can reproduce and evoke various haptic sensations to the human body. It is actively researched and developed for applications in fields such as entertainment [1], [2] and medicine [3], [4]. These devices have evolved to incorporate different types of stimuli, such as pressure [5], [6], vibration [7], [8], temperature [9], and electrical stimulation [10], [11]. However, these haptic devices are limited in the range of sensations they can produce. Most devices are capable of generating fewer than three basic sensations, such as expansion, bending, and vibration.