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Exploratory Procedures Cont.
Touching For Knowing, an article about the use of touch in perceiving the world around us gives a slightly more in depth view exploratory procedures.
Rather than just explaining that the use of two hands in perceiving objects, Hatwell et al. suggest from Revesz findings that the larger the area being used to feel, the more efficient our haptic perception. This is dependant on the part of our body in contact with the object. For example, as I have already found in information about the somatosensory cortex, hands, lips and tongue seem to be able to tell us the most information from the smallest touches.
The article continues to state that the information gathered through touch is highly sequential, rather than the information gathered through vision which is mainly simultaneous (i.e. we can view some of the properties of a multitude of objects at once).
Posted on 12/11/08.
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finalproject, dissertation, 4thyear,
The Somatosensory Cortex
The somatosensory cortex is part of the cerebral cortex in the brain. It includes the primary somatosensory cortex, also called the somaesthetic cortex, which is an area in which parts of the body are mapped contralaterally, with disproportionately large representations of hands, lips, and tongue (source: http://www.encyclopedia.com). The secondary somatosensory cortex is an area which responds specifically to pain. Finally, the somatosensory cortex also includes the somatosensory association area which is primarily focused on stereognosis (identification of 3d and 2d objects through haptic perception).
This article on cognitive psychology and haptic perception by Lederman and Flanagan declares horizontal forces during exploration of the contours of an object through touch define the information received, regardless of vertical forces. This information was discovered through experiments conducted by Robles de la Torre. According to Lederman and Flanagan, the next step will be to find out whether, and how, the contributions of force and geometric cues change with surface parameters such as the height and width of bumps and holes.
Posted on 11/11/08.
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finalproject, dissertation, 4thyear,
Touch and Vision Sesnses Linked?
Several researches into the field of psychophysics have found there is a link between touch and vision, that enables us to be capable of hand eye coordination and the like. Sakata and Iwamura 1978; Stein 1978
With regards to the type of information gathered from each sense, when you look at an object, it is possible to distinguish characteristics instantaneously, such as size, distance, form and colour. However, when you feel an object, it is possible to distinguish some of the same characteristics but also some different ones such as weight and temperature (see exploratory procedures). A combination of the two senses works more efficiently than the individual sense working on its own. With this in mind, it is possible to distinguish that a similar relation exists between the other senses.
Posted on 10/11/08.
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finalproject, dissertation, 4thyear,
Next Steps
After researching haptic technology for the last few weeks, I'm beginning to find that its quite underestimated, and that the technology suited for the sense of touch has been largely underdeveloped, with a world haptic organization only coming into existence 2 years ago - 60 years after the first haptic devices were developed (Goertz and his master slave manipulator used for handling radioactive materials).
As such, I've begun to feel a passion for researching it further in order to help it move as a technology. I am considering shifting my dissertation focus from elearning to haptic technology. Hopefully my dissertation tutor will be confident that this is a step forward and not a step back. Also, considering how much research I have conducted within this area I should be able to put forward a convincing argument.
Posted on 09/11/08.
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finalproject, dissertation, 4thyear,
Exploratory Procedures
Lederman and Klatsky - Cognitive Psychology (1987)
These guys found that 2 hands working simultaneously can gather more information quicker. Efficiency is improved by the use of two hands.
They also researched the type of exploration of an objective and how this can gather different information. For example, exerted pressure can detect the objects firmness (think baseball and peach), stroking or lateral motion can detect the surface texture of an object, contour following can identify the objects form and finally picking the object up, or enclosure, can detect the objects volume and weight. Touching an object to discover its properties is sometimes known as active touch or haptic perception.
Art, like the senses, operates simultaneously on many different levels.
Posted on 08/11/08.