Effect of the vibration and isometric wrist extension on the perceived force generated by an assistive device

The same external force can alter a perceived force by applying vibrations. The objective of this study is to develop a vibration application method that can manipulate human-perceived force by maximizing this characteristic. In this study, we asked subjects to perform isometric wrist extension movements with and without an assistive force using pneumatic gel artificial muscles. We then measured perceptual characteristics by combining the conditions of vibration, presence of active exertion, and magnitude of assistive force. The results indicated that the perception-assist force increased significantly with the application of vibration, regardless of the presence or absence of active force exertion.