Tactile Perception of a Water Surface: Contributions of Surface Tension and Skin Hair

We investigated the tactile perception of a liquid surface that can be clearly felt as a thin line by a hand moving in the liquid. Although this phenomenon was first reported by Meissner in 1859 and is quite well known, the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. This study aimed to clarify how we perceive the boundary between the atmosphere and water as a cutaneous sensation. We found that skin hair plays a major role in the perception on hairy skin, while surface tension does not significantly contribute to perception of a liquid surface. Furthermore, we found that glabrous skin has a smaller role than hairy skin in this sensation.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2010
• Where: HAPTICS
• Authors: Michi Sato, Junya Miyake, Yuki Hashimoto, Hiroyuki Kajimoto
• Keywords: Hairy Skin, HAPTICS 2010, Human Computer Interaction, Liquid Surface, Tactile Perception