Articles tagged with Tactile Perception
A new neural circuit has been identified that rewards gnawing behavior in rodents, driving a release of dopamine in the brain. This discovery could help explain oral health issues in humans, including bruxism and malocclusion.
The new dynamic shielding layer allows the sensor to focus on specific areas when needed, achieving a 104.56% increase in detection depth. The sensor can also detect approaching objects from over 90mm away, providing a vital split-second for robots to avoid collisions.
Researchers developed a framework to predict acoustic streaming in mid-air phased arrays, revealing its influence on tactile perception and object stability. The study validates thermoviscous and atmospheric attenuation models, enabling precise sound-field design for safer ultrasonic interfaces.
A team of researchers from Keio University has developed a novel system that uses Gaussian process regression to model and reproduce complex human motions. This enables robots to adapt to touch and interact with objects in dynamic environments, improving their dexterity and versatility.
Researchers at Tohoku University demonstrated that taste sensitivity can be enhanced through learning in a novel 'sweet taste recall training.' After just three days of training, participants showed significant improvement in taste sensitivity for all five sweet substances, indicating a sharper perception of sweetness. This finding pro...
Researchers at Northwestern University developed the first haptic device achieving human resolution, recreating digital touch with clarity and detail. The VoxeLite device wraps around a fingertip to give users a realistic feel for digital environments, including virtual reality systems and assistive technologies.
A study by Queen Mary University of London and University College London found that humans possess a form of remote touch, allowing them to detect objects buried in sand without direct contact. This sense is comparable to that of shorebirds, such as sandpipers, and has implications for robotics and assistive technology applications.
A research group developed a flexible electret tactile feedback actuator that can encode complex emotional information and dynamic command interactions. The actuator achieved ultra-low driven voltage, high gain, and wide frequency range, enabling a six-point actuator array system with four-dimensional tactile programming ability.
Research reveals that mouse whiskers can 'hear' the world by generating sounds that are encoded in the auditory cortex. The study shows that mice use these sounds to recognize objects, even when touch sensation is abolished.
Scientists develop brain-computer interface that allows users to design distinct tactile experiences for different objects, enabling them to guess the object by sensation alone. The study represents an important step towards creating a neuroprosthetic that feels pleasant and intuitive to use.
Researchers found that mouse brains process active and passive touch through different pathways, with one region responding to surprise at touch. This distinction may help mice navigate their environments more effectively.
The study aims to enhance tactile displays for the Metaverse, reducing power supply size and enabling wearability. The developed system uses a small 12V boost power supply, multi-channel piezoelectric IC, and software for controlling haptic sensation in multiple gradations.
Researchers developed a lighter, smarter magnetoreceptive e-skin that tracks signal paths for applications like virtual reality and robotic systems. The new technology emulates the functioning of real skin and saves energy by using a single global sensor surface and central processing unit.
Researchers at Northwestern University developed a new wearable device that can apply precise movements to mimic the complexity of human touch. The device creates a sophisticated variety of haptic sensations, including vibrations, stretching, pressure, and twisting, allowing for more nuanced and realistic tactile feedback.
A team of experts identified key challenges in wearable multisensory haptic devices, including variability in skin contact mechanics and tactile masking. However, emerging actuation methods like polymeric, fluidic, and thermal actuation offer promising solutions to expand the scope of haptic feedback.
Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have developed an innovative sensing system that restores tactile feedback in minimally invasive surgery. The 'off-the-jaw' system integrates force and angle sensors into laparoscopic tools, providing real-time measurements of grasping forces and tissue stiffness.
Researchers at Ruhr-University Bochum discovered that the rubber hand illusion reduces perceived pain intensity when a heat stimulus is applied to one hand while simultaneously illuminating a rubber hand. This phenomenon, known as visual analgesia, could potentially be used in treating complex regional pain syndrome.
Research from the University of Florida found that mutations in the Syngap1 gene can lead to disrupted perceptual learning in mice, affecting their ability to interpret touch-based information. This study provides possible answers for understanding autism, intellectual disability, and other conditions with sensory processing issues.
Researchers have discovered that the developing brain can reorganize its sensory maps in response to the absence of sensory stimuli from birth. The study found that the thalamic region adapts a genetic profile similar to that of the affected area, enabling cortical reorganization and functional changes.
Johns Hopkins engineers developed a pioneering prosthetic hand that can grip and grasp everyday objects like a human, using a hybrid design that combines rigid and soft robotics. The system achieves 99.69% accuracy in handling objects of varying textures and materials.
The study investigates how the brain perceives pain and finds that the Surprise Hypothesis better explains the mechanism. Participants in the experiment reported stronger pain when they were surprised by painful stimuli, confirming the importance of reducing the gap between expected and unexpected events.
Researchers at the University of Konstanz have developed tactile learning materials that allow students to explore mathematical concepts and scientific data using touch. The project, Geo3DTouch, aims to create inclusive access to education for people with sight impairments by providing 3D printed prototypes and detailed instructions.
Researchers developed a bionic skin that mimics human fingertips to detect static and dynamic pressure, accurately characterizing object shape, hardness, and complex texture. The technology enables tactile-based visualization and reconstruction perception for smart wearable devices, robotic sensing, and virtual reality.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a novel high-performance organic electrochemical neuron that responds within the frequency range of human neurons. The device was integrated with artificial touch receptors and synapses to create a complete perception system, enabling real-time tactile signal sensing and processing.
Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology found that fava bean protein nanofibrils alter the activity of receptor genes and interact with cell membranes, influencing texture perception. The study aims to develop sensorially appealing plant-based foods with improved texture.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a unique method for encoding natural touch sensations via specific microstimulation patterns in implantable electrodes. This allows individuals with spinal cord injuries to feel tactile edges, shapes, curvatures and movements, enabling them to control a bionic arm with the...
Researchers developed a brain-computer interface that recreates tactile feedback to give prosthetic hands nuanced 'feeling'. The technology uses electrical stimulation to recreate sensations of touch, movement, and shape on the prosthetic hand, allowing users to develop confidence in motor control and sense of touch.
Cutaneous electrohydraulic (CUTE) wearable devices can produce a range of tactile sensations, including pressing and vibrations, with unprecedented control. Users perceive most cues as pleasant, highlighting the technology's potential for assistive technologies and augmented reality.
A study by University of Essex researchers found that women who notice and attend to internal bodily signals, such as heartbeats and sensual touch sensations, experience more frequent orgasms. The research suggests that focusing on the body rather than the mind can lead to increased orgasm satisfaction.
A team developed a novel tactile perception method based on structural color, achieving high spatial resolution and force accuracy. The method, called IrisTact, outperforms current vision-based tactile sensors by fully exploiting the rich tactile information in structural color patterns.
A new study found that speech sounds have texture and shape to them, with R sounds associated with roughness and L sounds with smoothness. The research showed strong tendencies for matching trilled R sounds with jagged lines and L sounds with straight lines across cultures.
Researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have developed a method to enable AI to measure surfaces, opening up applications in medical diagnostics, manufacturing quality control, and more. The system uses photon-firing scanning lasers and AI models trained to detect speckle noise, allowing for accurate surface topography analysis.
A Northwestern University-led team developed a new haptic patch that delivers various complex sensations, including vibrations and twisting. The device has potential applications in gaming, virtual reality, healthcare, and sensory substitution, offering more realistic sensory experiences.
A new study has identified 16 distinct types of nerve cells in humans, challenging the long-held assumption that each type of sensation is linked to a specific nerve cell. The research reveals complex interactions between these nerve cells and their functions.
A new system dubbed SonicSense allows robots to interpret the world through acoustic vibrations, giving them a richer ability to 'feel' and understand objects. The system, featuring a robotic hand with contact microphones, can identify materials, shapes, and recognize objects in complex environments.
Researchers developed a soft robotic finger that can perform routine doctor office examinations, including taking patient pulses and checking for abnormal lumps. The device's advanced sense of touch allows it to detect stiffness similar to human fingers, enabling early disease detection and more efficient medical exams.
A new article investigates whether auditory magic tricks can be created for a blind audience, finding that the brain processes visual and auditory information differently. This study underscores the importance of making magic more inclusive for people with blindness.
Researchers developed Transparent Pressure-Calibratable Interference Electrotactile Actuator (TPIEA) technology to provide consistent virtual haptic experiences. The TPIEA uses platinum nanoparticles to reduce impedance and achieve high transmittance, allowing for precise and varied tactile sensations.
Researchers at Rutgers University have identified a natural molecule called phosphatidic acid that can reduce the activity of touch-sensing ion channels in the body. Increasing phosphatidic acid levels in cells makes them less sensitive to touch, and inhibiting its formation leads to increased sensitivity.
Researchers have created a novel system called ConTac, which can estimate the shape and contact of a robotic arm with soft skin using a single sensing module. The system consists of a backbone, soft skin with markers, a camera to observe skin deformation, and models for shape and contact sensing.
Researchers found that touch sensitivity declines only in hairless skin regions with age, such as the hands, while hairy areas like cheeks remain sensitive. The study suggests that hairy skin may act as an antenna to transmit mechanical stimuli and preserve touch sensitivity.
Researchers at the University of California - San Diego developed a soft, stretchy electrode that can simulate pressure or vibration sensations using electrical signals. The device overcomes existing pain-inducing issues with rigid metal electrodes by conforming to the skin, providing localized stimulation.
Studies found that even minor choices, such as picking a color, can increase the enjoyment of touch. The results suggest that providing patients with perceived control over their treatment may yield greater benefits in clinical settings. This study provides new insights into how choice shapes our experiences on a fundamental level.
A study found that responses with both visual and tactile feedback were most effective in conveying emotions on social media. Participants experienced greater feelings of support and approval when receiving tactile emoticons compared to visual-only feedback alone.
Research at the University of Zurich reveals that the first week after birth is a critical period for the development of senses, particularly smell and touch. Olfactory stimuli can induce neural activity across multiple brain regions, including areas responsible for non-olfactory sensory processing.
A trash-sorting robot has been developed that can recognize and classify objects using tactile information and machine learning algorithms. The robot achieved a classification accuracy of 98.85% in recognizing diverse garbage objects not encountered previously.
Researchers discovered that hummingbirds create a 3D map of their body when neurons in the forebrain fire as gusts of air touch their wings and skin, allowing them to sip nectar from flowers with precision. This unique ability is also shared by zebra finches, but with slightly less sensitivity.
Researchers from the University of Bath have created a deformable screen called DeformIO, which can be deformed through finger pressure. The surface becomes softer or stiffer in direct response to force applied, allowing users to interact with digital objects in a more tactile way.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London discovered that newly hatched chicks can link touch and vision without prior learning, suggesting a pre-wired ability for cross-modal perception. This finding contradicts long-held beliefs and opens new avenues in understanding brain processing across senses.
A new study by the University of Texas at Austin found that babies who were prompted to touch their own faces developed self-recognition earlier than those who did not. This suggests that active experiences, such as touching one's body, play a crucial role in the development of self-awareness.
EPFL researchers have developed a haptic device called SORI that can accurately recreate the softness of various materials, from marshmallows to beating hearts. This technology has potential applications in medicine, such as training medical students to detect cancerous tumors and providing sensory feedback to surgeons using robots.
Scientists have identified a crucial role of the newly discovered ion channel Elkin1 in converting mechanical stimuli into electrical signals, enabling normal touch sensation. The findings also suggest Elkin1 may play a part in transmitting painful mechanical stimuli, opening up new potential targets for chronic pain treatment.
The somatosensory cortex plays a crucial role in perceiving both touch and time, with neurons carrying codes for both simultaneously. Research using optogenetics demonstrates that the perception of time is rooted in this brain region, influencing the experience of stimulus duration.
A study by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers discovered that protons are the primary signals transmitting tactile sensations from Merkel cells to nerves. Protons bind to ASIC receptors on nerve endings, triggering an influx of sodium ions that propagate action potentials up the nerve towards the brain.
Researchers developed a device that allows amputees to sense and respond to temperature, improving dexterity and feelings of human connection. The 'MiniTouch' device enables active thermosensation during tasks requiring feedback between sensory and motor neurons.
A temperature-sensitive prosthetic limb has been developed to improve amputee interactions and feelings of human connection. Researchers have created a device called MiniTouch that provides realistic and real-time thermal feedback, enabling amputees to discriminate between objects of different temperatures and materials.
Researchers have discovered that Schwann cells, previously thought to be solely responsible for protecting nerve fibers, also detect sensory stimuli such as touch, heat, and cold. The findings open new avenues for understanding and treating pain and impaired touch perception.
A Baylor University chemistry professors develop a codex using lithophane, converting images from scientific textbooks into tactile formats for students with blindness. The study found that students with blindness can accurately describe, recall and distinguish high-resolution data and imagery at an average accuracy of 88%.
Researchers at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia developed an ultra-thin electronic tattoo that can generate localized tactile sensations. The device uses electro-thermo-pneumatic actuation to produce a force on the skin, allowing users to perceive touch.
Researchers found that babies as young as four months old display enhanced somatosensory brain activity when a touch is preceded by an object moving towards them. This suggests that even in the first few months of life, babies can sense their surroundings and understand how their bodies interact with space.