Effects on the Tactile Affections of Touch Behavior and Product Material

Abstract

This study examines the degree of influence specific tactile properties have by investigating user behavior when the epidermal skin layer comes into contact with various tactile samples. Although there have been various studies on user sensitivity for consumer products, there has not been an in-depth examination of tactile stimulus on users particularly in utilizing a measurement system to evaluate specific tactile properties and how this influences the user. This study observed how the user perceived the concept of roughness and how this perception changed as tactile properties were altered. There was an analysis of variance for subjective roughness of 6 different types of tactile material contacted by 3 touch behaviors (press, rub and grasp). There was significant difference between the subjective roughness according to different tactile material and touch behavior. However, there was no significant difference between the luxuriousness according to the types of tactile material and touch behaviors. Post-hoc analysis results for the different tactile material indicated that subjective roughness was judged differently according to the increase of roughness properties. In addition, subjects could not accurately judge the difference when the size of the tactile material was small even if subjective roughness was high. Post-hoc analysis results of the touch behavior indicated that feeling friction allowed users to easily distinguish pressure, but pressing made users not feel roughness well. This study suggests a tactile guideline for measuring roughness through certain design parameters.