Hapt-X-Pand: The Design and Evaluation of a Radially Expanding and Contracting Skin Drag Haptic Device

Radial skin drag is a unique form of haptic feedback which may have applications in mental health practices such as guided breathing in which time based progress tracking during the exercise is a key to success. In this work, we present the design and evaluation of a wearable, radial-expansion haptic device, Hapt-X-Pand. Through the development of a theoretical model and benchtop analysis of the device, we determine key design parameters and their effects. Through a pilot user study (N = 8), we evaluate the discernibility of the haptic stimulus. Results illustrate consistent detection of actuation direction and promising spatial resolution which shows potential utility for the device as a haptic form of short term progress tracking.