Tactile display using the micro-vibration of shape-memory alloy wires and its application to tactile interaction systems

A compact device for the presentation of tactile sensation is introduced in this chapter. By employing shape-memory alloy (SMA) wires, a novel tactile information transmission device is developed for displaying various tactile sensations. A tactile actuator consists of a thin SMA wire with the diameter of 50 μm, and generates micro-vibrations with various frequencies and amplitudes in accordance with a driving pulse signal. The actuator features compactness and low energy consumption, and is applied to tactile displays and tactile interaction systems.