Shani, Y.Y.; Lineykin, S. Thermal Cues Composed of Sequences of Pulses for Transferring Data via a Haptic Thermal Interface. Bioengineering 2023, 10, 1156, doi:10.3390/bioengineering10101156.
Shani, Y.Y.; Lineykin, S. Thermal Cues Composed of Sequences of Pulses for Transferring Data via a Haptic Thermal Interface. Bioengineering 2023, 10, 1156, doi:10.3390/bioengineering10101156.
Shani, Y.Y.; Lineykin, S. Thermal Cues Composed of Sequences of Pulses for Transferring Data via a Haptic Thermal Interface. Bioengineering 2023, 10, 1156, doi:10.3390/bioengineering10101156.
Shani, Y.Y.; Lineykin, S. Thermal Cues Composed of Sequences of Pulses for Transferring Data via a Haptic Thermal Interface. Bioengineering 2023, 10, 1156, doi:10.3390/bioengineering10101156.
Abstract
This research is a preliminary phase of a general effort to develop a generic-data transferring capability via human haptic thermal sensation (generic-data refers to a coded language like Morse or Braille). For the capability to be effective, it must include a large variety of short recognizable cues. Hence, we propose the concept of cues based on sequences of thermal pulses, i.e., combinations of warm and cool pulses with several levels of intensity. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of basing a generic-data-transfer capability on thermal cues composed of sequences of short pulses. The research included defining the basic characteristics of the stimuli parameters and developing practical methods for generating and measuring them. Several sequences were designed in light of the relevant data known to date, and tests were conducted. The thermal cues presented to the participants were sensed and recognized by touch. The results indicate high feasibility for a capability that is applicable in various scenarios. In addition, the low impact on human skin temperature due to short stimuli duration represents an inherent advantage for later implementation. This report presents promising findings and offers insights for further investigation.
Keywords
data transfer; haptic thermal interface; thermoelectric cooler; thermal cues; thermal patterns; thermal pulses; thermal icons; thermal communication
Subject
Engineering, Bioengineering
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
