Advances in an electrorheological fluid based tactile array

Previous papers have described the development of a tactile array based on electrorheological fluids, whereby the compliant rubber surface of the array offers a variable and controllable resistance to finger motion as the user's finger is pressed onto or is moved across the array. Different shapes with arbitrary compliance can therefore be set up under computer control. The main new feature described here is the utilisation of a layer of fabric within the fluid layer. It is shown that this results in at least a doubling of the reactive forces, at the same time as at least a three-fold decrease in current for a silicone oil based electrorheological fluid. The fabric layer improves the safety of the device, since it provides an insulating layer between the electrodes. Similar but reduced effects have been observed with an experimental liquid crystalline based electrorheological fluid and added fabric. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.