Tactile Experience Research Articles

미용실 선호도에 따른 체험마케팅 효과 연구

This study aimed to explore variations in the five senses of sensory marketing across beauty salon preferences. To achieve this, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 330 beauty salon customers. The results revealed the following findings: The selection criteria, preferred forms, and service types, which constitute the three elements of preference for a hair salon, displayed notable distinctions in every aspect of sensory marketing, encompassing visual, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile experiences. Nevertheless, no significant differences were observed in the auditory element. Consumers who prioritize skilled expertise and amicable service tended to be particularly attuned to visual, gustatory, and tactile experiences. Conversely, those who select hair salons based on factors like pricing, word-of-mouth referrals, and social media promotion were more responsive to olfactory sensations. In general, auditory aspects were found to play a minor role in overall preferences. This study is significant as it opens new avenues for research on sensory experiences in the beauty industry, where emotional factors often influence decision-making. The findings are anticipated to be valuable in leveraging the strategic importance of incorporating all five sensory elements in the field of hair salons.

Research on the evaluation model for the tactile feel of custom wardrobe furniture finishes

The decision-making process of consumers regarding custom wardrobe furniture transcends product functionality to include the sensory experience, notably the tactile aspect. This study focuses on the tactile experience to assist consumers in evaluating the tactile feel of custom wardrobe finishes, such as cognitive fuzziness during the experience, the challenge of clearly describing the connection between touch sensation and the physical attributes of the custom wardrobe, and reducing communication costs between users and designers. The research first clarifies the hierarchical cognitive structure of the tactile sensation of custom wardrobe finishes, then explores the logical relationships between levels through linear regression models. Subsequently, a nonlinear relationship model between the “Physical Attributes Layer” and the “Tactile Sensation Layer” is constructed using a Backpropagation Neural Network, and the connection between the “Tactile Sensation Layer” and the “Comprehensive Evaluation Layer” is mapped through a multiple linear regression equation. This comprehensive evaluation system for the tactile feel of custom wardrobe finishes provides designers with a tool to optimize the tactile characteristics of products, thereby shortening the design iteration cycle and improving design precision. It also helps users better express their emotional needs in terms of tactile sensations, enhancing the connection between tactile experience and emotion.

Conductive block copolymer elastomers and psychophysical thresholding for accurate haptic effects.

Electrotactile stimulus is a form of sensory substitution in which an electrical signal is perceived as a mechanical sensation. The electrotactile effect could, in principle, recapitulate a range of tactile experience by selective activation of nerve endings. However, the method has been plagued by inconsistency, galvanic reactions, pain and desensitization, and unwanted stimulation of nontactile nerves. Here, we describe how a soft conductive block copolymer, a stretchable layout, and concentric electrodes, along with psychophysical thresholding, can circumvent these shortcomings. These purpose-designed materials, device layouts, and calibration techniques make it possible to generate accurate and reproducible sensations across a cohort of 10 human participants and to do so at ultralow currents (≥6 microamperes) without pain or desensitization. This material, form factor, and psychophysical approach could be useful for haptic devices and as a tool for activation of the peripheral nervous system.

Exploration of Tactile-Oriented Toy Design for Visually Impaired Children

With rapid technological progress, the field of children's design has become increasingly significant, accumulating decades of research on child development and continually evolving within this emerging area. Despite the diversity and ongoing development of childrens toys, most existing designs primarily cater to non-disabled children, often overlooking the specific needs of visually impaired children. This study adopts a tactile-oriented approach, focusing on the perceptual characteristics and emotional needs of visually impaired children, aiming to enhance the tactile sensory experience of toys. By prioritizing tactility, the toys are imbued with emotional and educational qualities, assisting visually impaired children in enjoying a confident and joyful childhood.

Tactile memory impairments in younger and older adults

Human tactile memory allows us to remember and retrieve the multitude of somatosensory experiences we undergo in everyday life. An unsolved question is how tactile memory mechanisms change with increasing age. We here use the ability to remember fine-grained tactile patterns passively presented to the fingertip to investigate age-related changes in tactile memory performance. In experiment 1, we varied the degree of similarity between one learned and several new tactile patterns to test on age-related changes in the “uniqueness” of a stored tactile memory trace. In experiment 2, we varied the degree of stimulus completeness of both known and new tactile patterns to test on age-related changes in the weighting between known and novel tactile information. Results reveal that older adults show only weak impairments in both precision and bias of tactile memories, however, they show specific deficits in reaching peak performance > 85% in both experiments. In addition, both younger and older adults show a pattern completion bias for touch, indicating a higher weighting of known compared to new information. These results allow us to develop new models on how younger and older adults store and recall tactile experiences of the past, and how this influences their everyday behavior.

The Influence of Embodied Cognition Activities on Early Language Education Approaches for Small Preschoolers

Embodied cognition activities involve active interactions that train the motor system, the perceptual system and physical interactions with the proximal environment. In the language education of young preschoolers, these types of activities train young preschoolers in the process of learning new words, their comprehension and correct pronunciation. The article presents the influence exerted by the „Integrated exploitation of sensory-motor stimuli” educational program with an emphasis on capitalizing on embodied cognition activities, in the early language education approaches of small preschoolers. Early language education through this type of activity proves effective because it encourages children to make connections between words and concepts using tactile, visual and motor experiences. This approach helps to develop strong connections between words and their meanings. The methods used were the observation of the language behavior of the preschooler and the psychopedagogical experiment method, and the applied research tools, the observation grid of the language behavior of the preschooler and the educational program „Integrated exploitation of sensory-motor stimuli”. The study involved 98 small preschoolers, aged between 3 and 4 years, from 3 state preschool education units, from the urban and rural areas of Hunedoara County. The three educational units involved in the research are: „Mircea Sântimbreanu” Secondary School Brad, „Flore de Colț” Extended Program Kindergarten Brad and „Crișcior Extended Program Kindergarten”.

A patterned vibrotactile method using envelope modulation with high resolution and low perceptual frequency

The virtual haptics is a crucial aspect of immersive virtual reality, extending the traditional experiences of sight and hearing. The vibration can provide direct normal vibration and friction reduction, making it a promising method to realize virtual haptics. However, the optimum perceptual threshold of skin for vibration is 100 Hz to 500 Hz, resulting in a too low vibrotactile resolution. The conflict between the low perceptual frequency and high resolution still remains challenges. In this paper, a low-frequency envelope wave methodology is proposed to realize the localized vibrotactile feedback. The high-frequency components are modulated into a low-frequency envelope waveform, which provides low-frequency perception and high resolution at the same time. Due to hardware limitations, the modes must be truncated and minimized as much as possible. This requirement conflicts with achieving localized vibration at arbitrary points and further implementing complex vibration patterns. Therefore, a modal optimization algorithm is proposed to solve the inverse problem. The modal participation coefficients is obtained, basing on the evaluation index that ensures the frequency of the envelope wave and the vibration pattern quality. The localized vibration patterns including multiple points, points of proportional amplitude, bar and circle are achieved with a resolution of 3 cm and a perception frequency of about 200 Hz. This method is expected to be applied to virtual reality, blind assistance, and other potential applications to enhance tactile interaction experiences.

Enhancing Physiology Education Through Physiological Simulation

Advances in Physiology Education began publishing papers in 2005, using classic papers in physiology teaching [1]. This approach has several valuable outcomes: Classic experiments, conclusion of which form the foundation of much of our undergraduate teaching textbooks, require less specialized knowledge to understand and interpret the data and conclusions. It demonstrates the scientific method, demonstrating both "what do we know" and "how do we know." It promotes inquiry-based learning. It fosters data literacy, teaching students to interpret graphs and provides historical context for physiology [1]. Traditional practical classes achieve many of these outcomes while also providing a tactile experience, and have added benefits to students’ data literacy — in as much as the students perform the protocols themselves. Students will gain insight to what “squiggly lines” on a screen are measuring and the individual variability in what raw physiological recordings look like. Students will gain a greater appreciation for analytical techniques, and the manipulations and analysis that needs to be performed to interpret data. Students also gain an appreciation of the difference between textbook vs real data. Nevertheless, in person practical classes have limitations due to resource intensity, including space, materials, and curriculum time. HumMod (hummod.org) is a freely available mathematical model of Human Physiology, a "time-dependent physiologic simulation engine" [2]. JustPhysiology (justphysiology.com) is an education-focused web interface for HumMod [3]. We have written four physiology-based workshops utilizing simulated data from JustPhysiology. The JustPhysiology workshops were setup as a structured inquiry activity where students are expected to apply their content knowledge to interpret data, and students submitted their reports after each workshop for evaluation and feedback. In preparing the workshop activities for deployment, we trialed the activities with students who had previously completed our second year Human Physiology subject (and were thus familiar with the content). We then engaged students in focus group interviews —ascertaining the students’ perceptions of the learning experience. The outcome of the focus group interview suggests that students engaging with the workshop tasks enter into a positive learning cycle: [Formula: see text] The spontaneous emergence of a learning cycle, promoting deeper understanding of the physiology suggests that these data driven workshops will have improve student learning in Human Physiology.

Challenges Traditional Firms Encounter when Launching Online Sales Services: Bangladesh Viewpoint

Brick-and-Click organizations (Brick and Click Organizations) have emerged as a new type of business that aims to provide consumers with a seamless experience while purchasing products online. This study seeks to identify and understand the challenges that traditional businesses face when attempting to launch online sales services. The study employs a descriptive research design to address the research issues. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key- decision-makers in such enterprises to get qualitative insights into the challenges faced by the businesses. This study's target population consists of Bangladeshi brick and click businesses. Online data were collected from a total of 1,036 respondents. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings suggest that, businesses face a variety of online sales obstacles. Respondents from businesses indicate that their online sales difficulties were influenced by the product or service they sell and their interactions with customers, including their age, gender, and nature. Customers' distraction during online shopping is a common issue for click-only businesses. According to this study, however, brick- and-click retailers perceived it as a moderate challenge. The classic retail challenges of building personal relationships and providing a tactile product experience are not as daunting for brick and click businesses as they are for online-only businesses. By taking a proactive approach to the issues identified in this study, brick-and click businesses can not only overcome the immediate challenges but also position themselves favorably for future growth and success in the digital marketplace.

Integration of 3D-printed middle ear models and middle ear prostheses in otosurgical training

BackgroundIn otosurgical training, cadaveric temporal bones are primarily used to provide a realistic tactile experience. However, using cadaveric temporal bones is challenging due to their limited availability, high cost, and potential for infection. Utilizing current three-dimensional (3D) technologies could overcome the limitations associated with cadaveric bones. This study focused on how a 3D-printed middle ear model can be used in otosurgical training.MethodsA cadaveric temporal bone was imaged using microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) to generate a 3D model of the middle ear. The final model was printed from transparent photopolymers using a laser-based 3D printer (vat photopolymerization), yielding a 3D-printed phantom of the external ear canal and middle ear. The feasibility of this phantom for otosurgical training was evaluated through an ossiculoplasty simulation involving ten otosurgeons and ten otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) residents. The participants were tasked with drilling, scooping, and placing a 3D-printed partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (PORP). Following the simulation, a questionnaire was used to collect the participants' opinions and feedback.ResultsA transparent photopolymer was deemed suitable for both the middle ear phantom and PORP. The printing procedure was precise, and the anatomical landmarks were recognizable. Based on the evaluations, the phantom had realistic maneuverability, although the haptic feedback during drilling and scooping received some criticism from ORL-HNS residents. Both otosurgeons and ORL-HNS residents were optimistic about the application of these 3D-printed models as training tools.ConclusionsThe 3D-printed middle ear phantom and PORP used in this study can be used for low-threshold training in the future. The integration of 3D-printed models in conventional otosurgical training holds significant promise.

No clear evidence of a difference between individuals who self-report an absence of auditory imagery and typical imagers on auditory imagery tasks.

Aphantasia is characterised by the inability to create mental images in one's mind. Studies investigating impairments in imagery typically focus on the visual domain. However, it is possible to generate many different forms of imagery including imagined auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, motor, taste and other experiences. Recent studies show that individuals with aphantasia report a lack of imagery in modalities, other than vision, including audition. However, to date, no research has examined whether these reductions in self-reported auditory imagery are associated with decrements in tasks that require auditory imagery. Understanding the extent to which visual and auditory imagery deficits co-occur can help to better characterise the core deficits of aphantasia and provide an alternative perspective on theoretical debates on the extent to which imagery draws on modality-specific or modality-general processes. In the current study, individuals that self-identified as being aphantasic and matched control participants with typical imagery performed two tasks: a musical pitch-based imagery and voice-based categorisation task. The majority of participants with aphantasia self-reported significant deficits in both auditory and visual imagery. However, we did not find a concomitant decrease in performance on tasks which require auditory imagery, either in the full sample or only when considering those participants that reported significant deficits in both domains. These findings are discussed in relation to the mechanisms that might obscure observation of imagery deficits in auditory imagery tasks in people that report reduced auditory imagery.

Developing an Ex Vivo Pig Model for Teaching Ultrasound and Fluoroscopy-Guided Percutaneous Renal Access.

Introduction: Establishing percutaneous renal access is the key initial step to percutaneous nephrolithotomy; however, learning the technique during surgery for trainees is complicated by the number of approaches used to gain access, limited completion time during a breath hold. and attempt to minimize the number of passes through a kidney. There are many training models for percutaneous access commercially available all with their respective limitations. Our objective was to develop a low-cost, high-fidelity percutaneous access training model that addresses existing limitations and can be used with both ultrasound and fluoroscopy guidance. Methods: After a formal ethics exemption was attained, pig cadavers were harvested for flank, kidneys, and ureters. These were incorporated into a composite porcine tissue mould, created within a gelatin matrix. In the initial assessment, establishing percutaneous access under both ultrasound and fluoroscopy guidance was tested to refine usability. Once acceptable, its use during a training course was evaluated to assess impressions for use with ultrasound. Results: We were able to create a $45USD biodegradable model, which can facilitate percutaneous access using: fluoroscopy with intrarenal contrast; fluoroscopy with endoscopic guidance; and fluoro-less that is, ultrasound only. A cohort of 12 Canadian Postgraduate Year-3 residents who used the model for ultrasound access agreed that the model simulated a comparable tactile experience (58.33%) and anatomy (75%) to humans. Furthermore, majority of the residents agreed that model was easy to use with ultrasound guidance (91.67%), was a beneficial experience for their learning and future practice (83.33%) and if available would use to complement their intraoperative training (83.33%). Conclusion: We were able to develop a low-cost, preliminarily tested ex vivo pig model for percutaneous access compatible with multiple imaging modalities. We will continue refining our model and seek to understand its benefits when teaching percutaneous access to varying levels of learners.

Scandinavian Approach to Multisensory Design

The text aims to investigate methods and techniques introduced by Scandinavian designers which are beneficial to the overall sensorial aspect of their work. To emphasize the wide spectrum of the subject, various materials would be taken into consideration—wood, glass, metal, textiles. Thanks to the analysis of selected case studies it is possible to showcase the main ideas of how the multisensorial design practices have been implemented within the realm of Scandinavian design, focusing on diversity of examples. The methodology applied uses the analysis method of design history combined with the perspective provided by cultural studies and their analysis of the broad context. To enrich the latter, also certain cultural associations will be considered. Wood provides the visual, tactile, and olfactory experience which has been used in both conceptual and commercial projects. Glass, often considered by designers exclusively for its visual aspects, brings the tactile element of shape and structure, which are meant to mimic the contact with nature, vital for many Nordic projects. Metal and textiles can be considered as opposite sensorial features based on contrasting properties, hot–cold, soft–hard. The study serves as an introductory paper to touch upon the question of multisensory in Scandinavian design, not thoroughly investigated in international literature, by presenting further opportunities for in-depth studies.

Prospective comparative study on enhancing geometrical mental representation and anatomical learning in medical students through modeling clay as an assessment tool.

While traditional anatomy education often emphasizes passive learning and rote memorization, it seldom employs constructivist theories that focus on active, hands-on experiences for effective learning. This study tests the hypothesis that tactile experiences with modeling clay enhance geometric mental representation more effectively than verbal descriptions. We examine the potential of clay modeling to reflect and evaluate students' mental representation of anatomical structures. Utilizing a prospective randomized, open, blind endpoint (PROBE) design, we engaged 36 participants divided into three groups: blind, visually impaired, and a control group. The primary outcome measure was the difference between post-touch score and pre-touch score, which gauged the efficacy of tactile intervention in enhancing the participants' capacity to mentally reconstruct a well-designed anatomical fiction structure. Scoring was executed using a double-blind double-evaluation methodology, positioning clay model reconstruction as both an objective reliable assessment and a pedagogical tool. The analysis demonstrated a pronounced improvement in mental representation of anatomical structures, particularly in spatial comprehension and detailed textural discernment, with the mean score soaring from 47.81 pre-touch to 85.09 post-touch. Distinct cognitive processing adaptations were evident across groups, with the blind group excelling in tactile acuity and the visually impaired group showing the most significant gains in spatial understanding post-intervention (Cohen's d = 2.74). The application of modeling clay as a tactile intervention tool can significantly improve the learning of anatomy among medical students. The study underscores the value of active, multisensory engagement and customized teaching strategies for effective anatomy education among this demographic.

Ongoing attachments with stuffed toys: conceptualizing childhood and teaching through transitional objects

ABSTRACT In this article, we highlight how adults remain emotionally involved with transitional objects, such as stuffed animals, carried over from their childhoods. Drawing on focus groups involving undergraduate students enrolled in teacher education and childhood studies programs, we found that the participants’ reflections of their stuffed animals opened onto layered meanings: 1) tactile experiences of materiality and sensation; 2) personal memories of innocence and paternal protection; and 3) conceptualizations of uncertainty and anxiety in adulthood. While we found that stuffed animals can be important access points to underrepresented feelings of vulnerability in adulthood, we also noted that these transitional objects can be used to entrench normative notions of teaching, development, and childhood. We suggest that transitional objects can be resources in fields devoted to the well-being and growth of children, especially as they help prospective teachers work through the ambivalences and defenses that accompany the work of education and care.

Vision matters for shape representation: Evidence from sculpturing and drawing in the blind

Shape is a property that could be perceived by vision and touch, and is classically considered to be supramodal. While there is mounting evidence for the shared cognitive and neural representation space between visual and tactile shape, previous research tended to rely on dissimilarity structures between objects and had not examined the detailed properties of shape representation in the absence of vision. To address this gap, we conducted three explicit object shape knowledge production experiments with congenitally blind and sighted participants, who were asked to produce verbal features, 3D clay models, and 2D drawings of familiar objects with varying levels of tactile exposure, including tools, large nonmanipulable objects, and animals. We found that the absence of visual experience (i.e., in the blind group) led to stronger differences in animals than in tools and large objects, suggesting that direct tactile experience of objects is essential for shape representation when vision is unavailable. For tools with rich tactile/manipulation experiences, the blind produced overall good shapes comparable to the sighted, yet also showed intriguing differences. The blind group had more variations and a systematic bias in the geometric property of tools (making them stubbier than the sighted), indicating that visual experience contributes to aligning internal representations and calibrating overall object configurations, at least for tools. Taken together, the object shape representation reflects the intricate orchestration of vision, touch and language.

Voltage-controlled finger friction behavior for immersive tactile experience in aqueous environment

To mimicking fingers perceiving the physical world, researchers developed tactile devices to establish a correlation between real and virtual world. This study proposed a new finger friction modulation method based on voltage-controlled technique in aqueous environment. Under continuous or alternate voltages applied to TC4 plate, the effects of NaCl, KCl and CaCl2 on finger friction were characterized with different concentrations. The finger friction was reversibly modulated by the voltages with the maximum friction variation of 110%. This modulation is attributed to the adsorption of OH-, bubbles effect and formation of passive film which affected the boundary lubrication performance of finger-TC4 interface. This study provides a new surface haptics concept for the underwater human-computer interaction or immersive virtual reality haptic technology.

In your skin? Somatosensory cortex is purposely recruited to situate but not simulate vicarious touch

Previous studies of vicarious touch suggest that we automatically simulate observed touch experiences in our own body representation including primary and secondary somatosensory cortex (SCx). However, whether these early sensory areas are activated in a reflexive manner and the extent with which such SCx activations represent touch qualities, like texture, remains unclear. We measured event-related potentials (ERPs) of SCx's hierarchical processing stages, which map onto successive somatosensory ERP components, to investigate the timing of vicarious touch effects. In the first experiment, participants (n = 43) merely observed touch or no-touch to a hand; in the second, participants saw different touch textures (soft foam and hard rubber) either touching a hand (other-directed) or they were instructed that the touch was self-directed and to feel the touch. Each touch sequence was followed by a go/no-go task. We probed SCx activity and isolated SCx vicarious touch activations from visual carry over effects. We found that vicarious touch conditions (touch versus no-touch and soft versus hard) did not modulate early sensory ERP components (i.e. P50, N80); but we found effects on behavioural responses to the subsequent go/no-go stimulus consistent with post-perceptual effects. When comparing other- with self-directed touch conditions, we found that early and mid-latency components (i.e. P50, N80, P100, N140) were modulated consistent with early SCx activations. Importantly, these early sensory activations were not modulated by touch texture. Therefore, SCx is purposely recruited when participants are instructed to attend to touch; but such activation only situates, rather than fully simulates, the seen tactile experience in SCx.

Touch receptor end-organ innervation and function require sensory neuron expression of the transcription factor Meis2

Touch sensation is primarily encoded by mechanoreceptors, called low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs), with their cell bodies in the dorsal root ganglia. Because of their great diversity in terms of molecular signature, terminal endings morphology, and electrophysiological properties, mirroring the complexity of tactile experience, LTMRs are a model of choice to study the molecular cues differentially controlling neuronal diversification. While the transcriptional codes that define different LTMR subtypes have been extensively studied, the molecular players that participate in their late maturation and in particular in the striking diversity of their end-organ morphological specialization are largely unknown. Here we identified the TALE homeodomain transcription factor Meis2 as a key regulator of LTMRs target-field innervation in mice. Meis2 is specifically expressed in cutaneous LTMRs, and its expression depends on target-derived signals. While LTMRs lacking Meis2 survived and are normally specified, their end-organ innervations, electrophysiological properties, and transcriptome are differentially and markedly affected, resulting in impaired sensory-evoked behavioral responses. These data establish Meis2 as a major transcriptional regulator controlling the orderly formation of sensory neurons innervating peripheral end organs required for light touch.

Touch receptor end-organ innervation and function require sensory neuron expression of the transcription factor Meis2.

Touch sensation is primarily encoded by mechanoreceptors, called low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs), with their cell bodies in the dorsal root ganglia. Because of their great diversity in terms of molecular signature, terminal endings morphology, and electrophysiological properties, mirroring the complexity of tactile experience, LTMRs are a model of choice to study the molecular cues differentially controlling neuronal diversification. While the transcriptional codes that define different LTMR subtypes have been extensively studied, the molecular players that participate in their late maturation and in particular in the striking diversity of their end-organ morphological specialization are largely unknown. Here we identified the TALE homeodomain transcription factor Meis2 as a key regulator of LTMRs target-field innervation in mice. Meis2 is specifically expressed in cutaneous LTMRs, and its expression depends on target-derived signals. While LTMRs lacking Meis2 survived and are normally specified, their end-organ innervations, electrophysiological properties, and transcriptome are differentially and markedly affected, resulting in impaired sensory-evoked behavioral responses. These data establish Meis2 as a major transcriptional regulator controlling the orderly formation of sensory neurons innervating peripheral end organs required for light touch.