title: Laser-induced thermoelastic effects can evoke tactile sensations.
abstract: Humans process a plethora of sensory information that is provided by various entities in the surrounding environment. Among the five major senses, technology for touch, haptics, is relatively young and has relatively limited applications largely due to its need for physical contact. In this article, we suggest a new way for non-contact haptic stimulation that uses laser, which has potential advantages such as mid-air stimulation, high spatial precision, and long working distance. We demonstrate such tactile stimulation can be enabled by laser-induced thermoelastic effects by means of physical and perceptual studies, as well as simulations. In the physical study, the mechanical effect of laser on a human skin sample is detected using low-power radiation in accordance with safety guidelines. Limited increases (< ~2.5 °C) in temperature at the surface of the skin, examined by both thermal camera and the Monte Carlo simulation, indicate that laser does not evoke heat-induced nociceptive sensation. In the human EEG study, brain responses to both mechanical and laser stimulation are consistent, along with subjective reports of the non-nociceptive sensation of laser stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, BK21+ Research Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical &Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju, Chungbuk 380-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Department of Photonic Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-759, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Rak
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Human and Systems Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 689-798, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Phil
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, KU Open Innovation Center, Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Chungju, Chungbuk 380-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Min Bae
authors.affiliation: 1] Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, Gyeonggi 440-746, South Korea [2] Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 440-746, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jang-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, BK21+ Research Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical &Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju, Chungbuk 380-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung-Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 790-784, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seungmoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical School, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Chungju, Chungbuk 380-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hwa Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 443-749, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Il
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Yeom
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, BK21+ Research Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical &Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju, Chungbuk 380-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Gu-In
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, BK21+ Research Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical &Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju, Chungbuk 380-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, BK21+ Research Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical &Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju, Chungbuk 380-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Soon-Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D011434:Proprioception; D011930:Reaction Time; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013697:Thermosensing; D014110:Touch; D055815:Young Adult