Extrapolation of Thermal Sensation and A Neuron-Like Model Based on Distribution Difference and Interactions of Thermoreceptors

Thermal displays that use thermoelectric modules face a contradiction between high-speed display and cooling ability when displaying thermal sensation. Thermal illusions are expected to address this problem. However, research on thermal illusions remains inadequate, and unknown elements for inducing thermal illusions must be elucidated. Time may be one such element. We found that sensation at the middle finger’s fingertip and root of the finger changes when receiving stimuli in different touch orders but that the traditional model cannot explain this. We thereby propose a model to describe the differences in spatially distributed perception induced by the temporal effect based on the distribution difference and interactions of thermoreceptors. We assume that warm and cold receptors have different effective ranges owing to their different spatial distributions. In addition, receptors have an inhibitory and disinhibitory effect on the other receptors in the effective range. This paper clarifies the temporal effect of touch patterns on thermal sensation. The model describes how the effective range and interactions of receptors influence the thermal sensation. A systematic design of thermal sensation at the neural level may be expected.