Specific Fabric Properties Elicit Characteristic Neuro and Electrophysiological Responses

Tactile perception of fabrics is a complex process challenging to parse and understand. Most studies examined fabric tactile perception through subjective means. Alternatively, neural and electrodermal signals can be used to examine fabric properties that elicit responses via tactile stimulation. Among the fabric properties, some may generate strong responses while others produce weaker responses. Here, we have shown that by studying the electroencephalography signal from the scalp areas corresponding to the sensory cortex, and the galvanic skin responses that occurred during active tactile sensation of varied fabrics, the influence of individual fabric properties can be determined. Eight subjective properties, from twenty female subjects, and seventeen objective properties, measured using Kawabata Evaluation System, were independently correlated to the biosignals. We have shown that properties related to thickness and volume were the most influential, followed by surface frictional properties. Fuzziness and linearity of compression were the least influencing properties affecting the biosignals.