2024/05/31 by Dalsgaard, Tor-Salve, Bergström, Joanna, Hornbæk, Kasper +1
#Acoustophoresis #Computer Sciences #Graphics and Human Computer Interfaces #Other Computer Sciences #Physical Sciences and Mathematics #chemical stimulant #haptics #human-computer interaction #perception
paper · doi:10.17605/osf.io/wxrka
In this study, we wish to determine how the perception of a topical stimulant, applied in the form of a liquid drop through acoustic levitation, can be altered using a vibrotactile stimulus. In a previous study (registered at osf.io/tnc6x), we found that topical stimulants (cinnamaldehyde, menthol, capsaicin, ethanol) can be perceived when delivered in droplet form. In a pilot, we investigated whether the subsequent application of another stimulant affects the perceived strength of the induced chemical sensation. The aim of the pilot was to identify candidates for affecting the perceived sensation. We based our hypothesis that such candidates exist on previous work. (Verrillo & Bolanowski, 2003) found that skin temperature affects the perceived magnitude of vibrotactile feedback. (Macdonald et al., 2022) similarly found that temperature alters the perceived emotional dimension of vibrotactile feedback. (Cataldo et al., 2021) found that mechanical pressure suppresses the perception of a stimulus on the lips. We thus conducted a pilot study in which we applied the four on the skin using acoustic levitation followed by ultrasound pressure on the same location. The pilot showed the potential for cinnamaldehyde, in particular, to be altered using ultrasound stimulation in addition to the chemical alone. In this study, we thus first apply a chemical stimulant followed by ultrasound pressure on the volar forearm and measure the perceived intensity of the combined stimulus.