石塚 裕己

This paper demonstrates a tactile display to present spatial distribution of stiffness using magnetorheological (MR) fluid. MR fluid reacts changes its mechanical property when magnetic field is applied to MR fluid. The display encapsulates MR fluid with flexible PDMS membranes and can create a hard spot in soft surfaces. We investigated the mechanical properties of the manufactured display and confirmed that stiffness of tumor tissue was created on the display. We compared them to human subjects' tactile sensations and confirmed sizes of hard spot that subjects answered depend on and tactile sensation on their fingertip and their perception of length. The ultimate goal of our work is to enable palpation in telesurgery and diagnosis using an endoscope.