Vibration vs. Force Feedback

• Haptic feedback includes display of forces and vibrations.
• Vibration primarily stimulates the Pacinian Corpuscles. It is easy to implement and is found in applications such as pager motors. Sustained vibration can lead to desensitization.
• Pilot tests indicate that subjects moving rapidly may be less sensitive to vibratory cues.

Contact forces are often perceived via stretching of the skin, as detected by Meissner Corpuscles and Ruffini Endings. Applying skin stretch is being investigated as an alternative method to force or vibration feedback.

Cross section of human skin showing mechanoreceptors

Characteristics of mechanoreceptors in human skin