Intensity-Adjustable Non-contact Cold Sensation Presentation Based on the Vortex Effect

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel non-contact method to generate intensity-adjustable cold sensations using the vortex effect, enabling immersive virtual reality experiences by controlling skin temperature through cold air flow.

Contribution

The study introduces a new vortex-based approach for non-contact cold sensation presentation with a validated cooling model and psychophysical testing of sensation discrimination.

Findings

The cooling model estimates skin temperature change with 0.16°C RMS error.

Cold air flow rate effectively modulates perceived cold intensity.

Prototype experiments demonstrate reliable cold sensation control.

Abstract

Cold sensations of varying intensities are perceived when human skin is subject to diverse environments. The accurate presentation of temperature changes is important to elicit immersive sensations in applications such as virtual reality. We developed a method to elicit intensity-adjustable non-contact cold sensations based on the vortex effect. We applied this effect to generate cold air at approximately 0 {\deg}C and varied the skin temperature over a wide range. The perception of different temperatures can be elicited by adjusting the volume flow rate of the cold air. Additionally, we introduced a cooling model to relate the changes in skin temperature to various parameters such as the cold air volume flow rate and distance from the cold air outlet to the skin. For validation, we conducted measurement experiments and found that our model can estimate the change in skin temperature with a root mean-square error of 0.16 {\deg}C. Furthermore, we evaluated the performance of a prototype in psychophysical cold discrimination experiments based on the discrimination threshold. Thus, cold sensations of varying intensities can be generated by varying the parameters. These cold sensations can be combined with images, sounds, and other stimuli to create an immersive and realistic artificial environment.