Ants in the Pants -ticklish tactile display using rotating brushes-

We created a new entertainment called “Ants in the Pants”. A user can see many ants moving around on a visual display. The user’s hand is placed into a tactile display in the form of a glove that has a matrix of small motors with brushes inside it. When the user places their gloved hand on the visual display, the user can feel a sensation as if ants are crawling up their arm. We have tested the system with more than 500 participants. In response to a questionnaire, about 75% of users responded that the experience was “enjoyable” and 54% that it was “realistic”. Moreover, our work was able to entertain most people regardless of their reaction to the experience. We believe our “Ants in the Pants” opened the door to a new type of “uncomfortable, creepy but enjoyable” entertainment.