FabTouch: A Tool to Enable Communication and Design of Tactile and Affective Fabric Experiences

Title of the Paper

FabTouch: A Tool to Enable Communication and Design of Tactile and Affective Fabric Experiences

Bibliographic Information

• Field of Study: Human-Computer Interaction and Tactile Perception
• Keywords: Fabric, Tactile, Tactile Experience, Emotional Response, Temporal and Spatial Experience Mapping, Multisensory Experience

Research Background and Issues

• Identified Problems or Challenges:

  • The tactile experience of fabric encompasses not only sensory perception but also emotional experience; however, there is currently a lack of comprehensive understanding of tactile and emotional experiences related to fabric.
  • There is a lack of effective tools for communication and design in tactile fabric experiences, making it difficult for designers, users, and developers to share fabric experiences.
  • Existing research overly focuses on the physical properties and mechanical performance of fabrics, neglecting the subjective tactile experiences of users and their relationship with emotional responses.

• Significance:

  • Fabric tactile and emotional experiences directly influence consumer choices and purchasing decisions, holding significant importance in fashion design and interaction design.
  • Understanding tactile and emotional experiences can drive innovation in the fabric domain, spanning from physical to digital interactions.

• Research Motivation and Related Work:

  • A review of the literature reveals that existing studies primarily focus on objective characteristics of fabrics (e.g., thickness, flexibility) or surface texture dimensions (e.g., roughness, smoothness).
  • Emotional studies indicate that tactile sensations can evoke emotional responses, but there is insufficient research on the specific emotional cycles of fabric tactile experiences.

Solution

• Proposed Methods or Solutions:

  • Employing a mixed-method approach, including Micro-Phenomenological Interviews (MPI) and surveys, to capture users' tactile and emotional experiences with fabrics.
  • Developing the FabTouch tool to represent user-driven tactile and emotional experiences of fabrics, facilitating dialogue in design processes.

• Innovations:

  • The FabTouch tool demonstrates the temporal and spatial structures of fabric tactile experiences ("temporal structure" and "experience configuration"), providing a comprehensive interpretation from physical attributes to emotional responses.
  • For the first time, a detailed user-experience-based fabric description framework is provided, promoting tactile design and communication.

• Implementation Steps and Key Techniques:

  1. Fabric Sample Selection: Selecting 9 representative samples from commonly used cotton fabrics, covering diverse tactile characteristics (e.g., roughness, softness).
  2. Experiment Design: Collecting data through Micro-Phenomenological Interviews and surveys, including dimensions of tactile perception and emotional responses.
  3. Analysis Methods: Using NVivo software for interview content analysis to extract temporal structures and experience configurations; validating emotional indicators (e.g., Valence, Arousal) through quantitative methods.
  4. Tool Development: Designing FabTouch based on research findings, incorporating experience mapping and example expression cards.

Research Outcomes

• Specific Results:

  • Identified the temporal structure (6 main stages) and spatial structure (23 subcategories) of fabric tactile experiences.
  • Clarified that users' tactile experiences with fabrics involve not only physical attributes but also emotional connections, sensory responses, and preference expressions.
  • Quantitative validation showed that fabric tactile experiences are highly correlated with Valence (pleasant or unpleasant), while the relationships with Arousal and Dominance are weaker.

• Advantages:

  • Compared to traditional "textile hand-feel" methods, FabTouch provides a more comprehensive experience design framework, integrating tactile, emotional, and relational aspects into design.
  • Facilitates interdisciplinary communication among designers, users, and fabric experts.

• Experimental or Evaluation Results:

  • Qualitative analysis: 2,945 expressions from interviews categorized into 6 stages and 23 subcategories.
  • Survey analysis: 5 major tactile dimensions identified, including wet/dry and ambiguous/clear structures.
  • Emotional assessment: Soft fabrics (e.g., Velvet and Flannel) were the most favored and elicited pleasant emotions.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  • Limitations:

    • Limited sample scope, covering only cotton fabric samples; future research needs to include a broader range of fabric types.
    • Data collection and analysis processes are time-consuming, requiring optimization for scalability.

  • Future Directions:

    • Expanding the fabric type library and integrating objective measurement data (e.g., FTT tests).
    • Conducting in-depth testing of the FabTouch tool's practical value in education, design, and consumer interaction.
    • Exploring the use of emotional mapping in digital design to enhance virtual fabric design experiences.