Smart Textiles that Teach: Fabric‐Based Haptic Device Improves the Rate of Motor Learning

Abstract

People learn motor activities best when they are conscious of their errors and make a concerted effort to correct them. While haptic interfaces can facilitate motor training, existing interfaces are often bulky and do not always ensure post‐training skill retention. Herein, a programmable haptic sleeve composed of textile‐based electroadhesive clutches for skill acquisition and retention is described. Its functionality in a motor learning study where users control a drone's movement using elbow joint rotation is shown. Haptic feedback is used to restrain elbow motion and make users aware of their errors. This helps users consciously learn to avoid errors from occurring. While all subjects exhibited similar performance during the baseline phase of motor learning, those subjects who received haptic feedback from the haptic sleeve committed 23.5% fewer errors than subjects in the control group during the evaluation phase. The results show that the sleeve helps users retain and transfer motor skills better than visual feedback alone. This work shows the potential for fabric‐based haptic interfaces as a training aid for motor tasks in the fields of rehabilitation and teleoperation.

Computational Design of Active Kinesthetic Garments

“…For the shirt, we selected the clearly highest performing garment, which was from P2, while for the sleeve, we selected the design from P1. This sleeve design represents a common (line) design seen in literature [12,33,34], while having similar performance as other designs.…”

“…More recently, several wearable body kinesthetic feedback systems have been developed, mostly based on electromagnetic motors [9,39] with rods [5,37] or cables [4,13] transmission, and based on pneumatic actuators [11,15] which are soft and more comfortable at the detriment of a bulkier equipment (pumps, compressors, valves). An alternative way to provide body kinesthetic feedback are passive blocking mechanisms like vacuum jamming [10] (still requiring pumps) and ES clutches [12,17,33,34]. In particular, ES clutches offer the advantages of being ultra-thin, light, and soft enabling the design of compliant kinesthetic garment designs.…”

Glove‐ and Sleeve‐Format Variable‐Friction Electrostatic Clutches for Kinesthetic Haptics

“…[15,18] Another approach is to prevent limb or finger motion using brakes or clutches. [22,29,30] Clutch mechanisms offer less function, but are usually simpler, [2,[31][32][33][34][35] lighter, and consume far less energy than actuators that can generate strain. Numerous types of clutches exist.…”

“…Kinesthetic feedback garments based on ESclutches, like haptic gloves [21,22] and sleeves, [34,40] highlight ESclutch integration challenges. How to scale, place, guide, attach, and connect ESclutches on soft and curved garments?…”

Easy‐To‐Wear Auxetic SMA Knot‐Architecture for Spatiotemporal and Multimodal Haptic Feedbacks

“…To resolve such issues, numerous studies on soft wearable devices are actively in progress for developing human-compatible on-body haptic interfaces. These include devices based on light-weighted shape-memory alloy wires, [21][22][23] thin electrostatic layers, [24,25] air-or liquid-based pneumatics, [17,26] and concentrated electronics encapsulated by soft elastomers. [27] While these soft devices serve well in the aspect of reducing the difference in stiffness between skin and on-body devices, however, in wearability aspects, they mostly use skin adhesives of which long-term use can cause skin irritation and make users feel stuffy, or some use additional rigid fixtures which can be obtrusive and aesthetically unpleasing.…”