Vibrotactile stimulation of the upper leg: effects of location, stimulation method and habituation

Abstract

In this study vibrotactile stimulation of the upper leg and its usability for feedback was tested. Three experiments were performed on ten healthy subjects using pager motors. The first experiment was to test the perception of the vibration at different frequencies and at different locations of the upper leg. The second experiment tested the ability of subjects to estimate location and number of stimuli in an array. In addition it was evaluated whether simultaneous or sequential stimulation is better interpretable. Thirdly the habituation of the vibration was determined. The experiments showed that vibrotactile stimulation is well perceived and can be useful in providing feedback on the upper leg. Further experiments are needed to determine the effectiveness of vibrotactile stimulation for feedback in trans-femoral prostheses.