Hybrid Media

C&C • Creativity & Cognition

[UG Symposium] Sentura (2024)

Understanding the Cognitive Affordances of Silicone Microtextures in Tangible User Interface Design

Description

Silicone has long been an influential material in haptic design due to its durability, flexibility, and versatility. However, its flat and smooth surface restricts potential applications. Using microtextures, we can improve on earlier designs by exploiting microtextured silicone's sensory perception and influence on users' emotions and feelings. In this paper, we explore the applications and benefits of microtextures in haptic design. We conduct a between-subjects psychophysics experiment to characterize the sensory perception of each texture using an adapted form of the Geneva Emotion Wheel. We also report the results of a card sort elicitation task to better understand how textures can improve and influence user actions for tactile user interface applications. Finally, we analyze the results and discuss the unique features of each silicone sample that contributed to users' experiences, as well as potential future implementation in textiles, wearable devices, and robotics.