Effect of Fiber Type, Water Content, and Velocity on Wetness Perception by the Volar Forearm Test: Stimulus Intensity Test

Abstract

To investigate the effect of heat, moisture transfer, and mechanical tactile properties of fabrics on skin wetness perception when fabrics were in dynamic contact with skin at three velocities, nine knitted fabrics varying in fiber composition, thickness, and surface texture were evaluated by 20 participants using a wetness rating scale. The objective physical properties of the fabrics, namely, heat and moisture transfer and surface texture, and human physiological responses, namely, skin cooling rate and myoelectric signals, under various conditions were measured, and their correlations with the subjective wetness perception were studied. While the results indicated a significant influence of fabric type, water content, and velocity on skin wetness perception, no significant relation between electromyography and wetness perception was found. Fabrics with faster water spreading speeds and lower absorption rates were perceived as less wet, and the maximum transient thermal flow and skin cooling rate had a significant positive correlation with wetness perception. Furthermore, subjective wetness perception was predicted by the physical parameters of the fabric, that is, maximum transient thermal flow, water content, and friction coefficient, with an acceptable goodness of fit ( R2 = 0.82, p < .001).

Effect of Fiber Type, Water Content, and Velocity on Wetness Perception by the Volar Forearm Test: Threshold Detection Test

“…The thermal effect of a physiological parameter (skin cooling rate) was found to be negatively related to the wetness threshold, which agrees with the result of stimulus intensity test and previous studies (Li, Plante, & Holcombe, 1992; Raccuglia, Pistak, et al., 2018) that higher wetness perception correlated with greater decrease in skin temperature.Later, Raccuglia, Pistak, et al. (2018) demonstrated that the wetness perception could be predicted by local skin cooling and stickiness sensation, resulting in an explained variance of 89%.…”

“…In a previous research (Zhang et al., 2019), the stimulus intensity test was conducted by applying quantitative amounts of water to the testing fabrics, the participants reported the intensity of perceived wetness on a psychometric scale. The results indicated an interactive influence of fiber type and water content on skin wetness rating, fabrics with faster water spreading speed and lower absorption rates were perceived as less wet.…”

The effect of the heat transfer mechanism on the psychophysical assessment of moisture sensation in fabrics

“…It seems that participants are good at discriminating between relatively dry and wet, but not good at telling differences between different levels of moisture when the conduction and evaporation were restrained from the skin in condition 35F. Indeed, in our previous study, 19 the frictional coefficient (MIU) of dry fabrics was significantly greater than that of wet fabrics, whereas no differences were found between different levels of moisture in fabrics. Thus, discrimination of the moisture sensation difference becomes difficult in warm-wet stimulus conditions by using only mechanical cues.…”

The role of friction on skin wetness perception during dynamic interactions between the human index finger pad and materials of varying moisture content

“…Although the presumed absence of hygroreceptors shows this cannot be a direct relationship, the changes in wetness perception may be related to the influence of Q max . Higher moisture levels are associated with greater thermal conductivity and therefore a higher maximum thermal transfer rate ( 40 , 41 ). This outcome may increase the perceived effects of cold thermal inputs such that Q max may provide a good indication of wetness perception.…”