Emoband: Investigating the Affective Perception towards On-wrist Stroking and Squeezing Feedback mediated by Different Textile Materials

Title of the Paper

Emoband: Investigating the Affective Perception towards On-wrist Stroking and Squeezing Feedback mediated by Different Textile Materials

Paper Information

• Research Domain: Tactile feedback devices and their emotional transmission capabilities in human-computer interaction
• Keywords: Tactile feedback, emotion, textile materials, wearable devices, human-computer interaction

Research Background and Problem

• Problem and Challenges: Traditional tactile feedback devices are often composed of rigid mechanical actuators, which may limit comfort and user acceptance. Additionally, research in the field of human-computer interaction on tactile icons and emotional transmission capabilities driven by textile materials remains insufficient.
• Significance: In scenarios such as remote communication or when users have impaired sensory abilities (visual or auditory disabilities), tactile feedback devices can expand emotional communication methods and enhance their practical value.
• Research Motivation: This study aims to explore how textile materials influence users' emotional perception of wrist tactile icons (stroking and squeezing) and to conduct specific research on the application and potential of emotional feedback in tactile devices as documented in the literature.

Solution

• Methodology and Innovations:

  1. Device Development: This study developed a wrist-worn textile tactile display device named "Emoband," capable of delivering stroking and squeezing feedback through the movement of textile bands.
  2. Experimental Design: Two user perception experiments were designed and conducted to evaluate the emotional effects of stroking and squeezing feedback.
  3. Innovations:
     • Introducing textile materials into the field of tactile emotional feedback, extending the technological boundaries of this domain.
     • Proposing a comprehensive design method based on material properties and tactile parameters to quantify the role of materials in emotional expression.

• Implementation Steps:

  1. Select five commonly used textile materials (cotton, silk, linen, wool, leather);
  2. Create a prototype device, including pressure sensing units, textile band driving units, and modular design;
  3. Control tactile feedback parameters such as stroking speed, direction, pressure, and duration;
  4. Collect participants' emotional ratings (using a 7-point Likert scale) and analyze subjective feedback through experiments.

Research Findings

• Specific Results:

  • Emotional experiences of wrist tactile feedback are significantly influenced by material properties (softness, texture, etc.) and motion-related parameters (speed, pressure, duration).
  • Emotional ratings for stroking stimuli indicate that stroking speed and material jointly determine users' emotional perception tendencies, while squeezing ratings are primarily influenced by pressure and duration.

• Comparison with Existing Solutions:

  • Compared to previous rigid mechanical devices, the textile-based tactile feedback developed in this study demonstrates advantages in comfort and richness of emotional expression, expanding the application of wearable devices in daily emotional communication.

• Experimental Results:

  • As the intensity of stroking or squeezing increases, participants' emotional arousal rises, while emotional valence shows different trends: increased stroking intensity typically conveys positive emotions, whereas increased squeezing intensity tends to convey negative emotions.
  • The tactile comfort of different materials (e.g., silk, leather) significantly affects valence ratings, with rougher materials (e.g., wool) potentially leading to lower valence scores.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  1. Limitations:
     • The current experiments focus only on five materials, making it difficult to generalize results to other textile materials or composite fibers.
     • The experimental device is fixed on a test bench and accompanied by certain noise, making it unsuitable for mobile scenarios.
  2. Future Directions:
     • Explore the impact of new textile materials and weaving techniques on emotional transmission.
     • Develop portable device prototypes and optimize noise control.
     • Investigate tactile feedback performance in multimodal environments (combining visual and auditory stimuli) or dynamic outdoor scenarios.

Conclusion

This study quantifies the emotional impact of textile materials on wrist tactile icons, revealing the potential of textile materials in tactile emotional feedback devices, and developed a prototype device named Emoband. The findings provide a reference for designing tactile feedback-based emotional communication interfaces, with future applications including emotional symbols and layered reminders in smart wristbands.