Human wetness perception of fabrics under dynamic skin contact

Abstract

This experiment studied textile (surface texture (ST), thickness) and non-textile (local skin temperature (T sk ) changes, stickiness sensation and fabric-to-skin pressure) factors affecting skin wetness perception (WP) under dynamic interactions. Changes in fabric texture sensation between WET and DRY state and their effect on pleasantness were also studied. ST of eight fabric samples, selected for different structures, was determined from surface roughness measurements using the Kawabata Evaluation System (KES). Sixteen participants assessed fabric WP, at high pressure (HIGH-P) and low pressure (LOW-P) conditions, stickiness, texture and pleasantness sensation on the ventral forearm. Differences in WP (p < 0.05) were not determined by texture properties and/or texture sensation. Stickiness sensation and local T sk drop were determined as predictors of WP (r 2 = 0.89), and although thickness did not correlate with WP directly when combined with stickiness sensation it provided a similar predictive power (r 2 = 0.86). Greater (p < 0.05) WP responses in HI-P were observed compared with LOW-P. Texture sensation affected pleasantness in DRY (r 2 = 0.89) and WET (r 2 = 0.93). In WET, pleasantness was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) compared to DRY, likely due to the concomitant increase in texture sensation (p < 0.05). In summary, under dynamic conditions, changes in stickiness sensation and WP could not be attributed to fabric texture properties (i.e. surface roughness) measured by the Kawabata Evaluation System. In dynamic conditions thickness or skin temperature drop can predict fabric WP only when including stickiness sensation data. Key wordsWetness perception, fabric motion, stickiness, surface roughness, fabric texture, Kawabata, pleasantnessRaccuglia, M; Pistak, K.; Heyde, C.; Qu, J.; Mao, N.; Hodder, S.G.; Havenith, G.

Clothing comfort during physical exercise – Determining the critical factors

“…The contribution of fabric tactile input was indicated by greater wetness perception in heavier fabrics at equal water content, due to the resultant higher load/pressure which increases the magnitude of stimulation of both thermo-and mechanoreceptors. Finally, as expected (Fukazawa and Havenith 2009;Gerrett et al 2013), sensations of discomfort were strongly correlated to fabric wetness perception, showing the importance of this parameter in overall comfort sensation In a dynamic skin contact investigation (Raccuglia et al 2017c;Raccuglia et al 2017a), i.e. when the fabrics move across the skin, the role of fabric surface properties on wetness perception was studied.…”

“…During each experimental trial wetness perception, stickiness sensation, thermal sensation, texture sensation and wear discomfort were scored by the participants at 5-min intervals using interval scales, specifically developed by the authors (Raccuglia et al 2016a;Raccuglia et al 2017c) (Fig 2). Wetness perception was scored using an ordinal unipolar scale ranging from 0 (extremely dry) to 30 (extremely wet).…”

“…Due to the critical impact that stickiness sensation was shown to have on wetness perception in the skin regional study (dynamic contact), the aim of the current study was to investigate the influence of both stickiness sensation and wetness perception on wear discomfort, in a whole-body study . In the current study garment wetness was induced by physical exercise (sweating), rather than by manipulating the fabric moisture content by adding water to it, as done in earlier experiments (Raccuglia et al 2016a;Raccuglia et al 2017c). The latter difference between whole body (exercise) and the skin regional studies adds an extra different type of thermal sensory cue, which can contribute to the ability to perceive different degrees of fabric wetness.…”

A review of recent advances in tribology

“…Both the skin and the perceived objects were involved in the contact and therefore were important considerations, including surface texture [473,474], softness [475], and chemistry [476], etc. Perception was correlated with tribological properties such as friction, vibration, stickiness, contact mechanics [477], and different environments [478,479], and different subjects including age, gender, etc [480,481]. Various apparatus of friction measurements in conjunction with measuring brain responses and other physiological measurements were adopted [482−485].…”

Shoe microclimate: An objective characterisation and subjective evaluation

“…It is important to consider however that investigations so far have mainly focused on very local skin wetness perceptions evoked by static or dynamic applications of thermal and pre-wetted stimuli (Filingeri et al 2013(Filingeri et al , 2015bRaccuglia et al 2017).…”