Re: Circuit that produces a tingling sensation in the fingers.

ursine_at_gmail.com
Date: 12/10/04 

Date: 10 Dec 2004 14:02:33 -0800

Roland Zitzke wrote:
> Since the late 1970s there were devices available called Optacons.
<snip>
> Unfortunatly this technology has disappeared from the market. It
essencially
> consists of a neadle array (20 x 5) where such trigger is stimmulated
by
> vibrating certain sets of these pins at a time.

Roland,

Would you please describe the spacing of the pins as best you can --
or (the overall dimensions of the rectangle? I
have an idea that might reproduce this device's behavior, and be
somewhat scaled up.

Similarly, do you know anything about the
frequency of vibration used? (If memory serves, one peak in human
sensitivity to vibration is around 300 Hz., and I *think* there's
another one (different sensory neurons?) much lower (50 Hz?.)
Unfortunately the neurologist who I recall mentioning the frequency
response is no longer here to ask.

Do you think a quasi-static displacements would work well enough to
use? Fast enough to show sequences of tactile "images" (like a
morph-able wood carving), but not fast enough to feel like a vibration?
In that case, an array of pins displaced by resistance-heated Nitinol
wires might work for a dense, potentially inexpensive device.
Larry Pfeffer

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