Differences in the ability of the human skin to recognize vibration frequency
10.3760/cma.j.cn113854-20240124-00006
- VernacularTitle:人体皮肤触觉振动频率辨识能力的差异性分析
- Author:
Xianliang ZHAO
1
;
Shan CHEN
;
Lu WANG
;
Lin ZHANG
;
Hongchang SUN
;
Qin YAO
Author Information
1. 空军军医大学空军特色医学中心航空生理鉴定训练研究室，北京 100142
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Vibration;
Touch perception;
Mechanoreceptors;
Individual differences
- From:
Chinese Journal of Aerospace Medicine
2025;36(3):188-193
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the differences in the ability of different parts of the human skin to recognize vibration frequencies in order to provide data for physiological optimization of vibration parameters in pilots′ tactile vests.Methods:Ten healthy volunteers were selected and grouped by age as 20-40 years (6 cases) and 41-50 years (4 cases). All the subjects participated in 3 trials: ① identification test of frequency steps using cutaneous tactile perception: the back of the left hand was chosen as the test area, a dual-oscillator synchronous vibration system was adopted, and the frequency step was gradually increased (initially 0.1 Hz) to determine the threshold of frequency identification; ② maximum frequency threshold test of cutaneous tactile perception: the maximum frequency recognition thresholds in 7 parts of the trunk (the left waist, right waist, chest, back, left shoulder, right shoulder, neck) and the back of the hand were tested; ③ frequency discrimination test of cutaneous tactile perception: 5 equally spaced frequencies (covering the frequency recognition thresholds) were set to evaluate the accuracy of tactile frequency memory on the back of the hand after 3, 15 min and 24 h. The relationships between the adjacent step sizes of cutaneous tactile perception and the average value of the sum of adjacent frequencies were analyzed using simple linear regression. The highest identification thresholds of frequencies in different parts of the subjects as well as the accuracy of frequency discrimination during different periods were compared across the age groups.Results:The maximum thresholds of frequency identification of cutaneous tactile perception among the 10 subjects ranged from 16.20 to 33.55 Hz, while the range of adjacent step sizes was between 3.60 and 7.10 Hz. The adjacent step sizes were positively correlated with the average value of the sum of adjacent frequencies ( r=0.882, F=529.18, P<0.001). In the test on the maximum threshold of frequency identification of cutaneous tactile perception, there was a statistically significant difference in the main effect of an age group between the 2 groups ( F=15.87, P<0.001), but not in the main effect of the site ( P>0.05), or in the interactions between the group and age ( P>0.05). The accuracies of skin vibration frequency memory on the dorsal hand of the subjects at 3, 15 min and 24 h were 88%, 72% and 68% respectively. In the frequency discrimination test, there were no statistically significant differences in the main effect of the group, main effect of time or in their interactions between the 2 groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:The ability of the human skin to identify vibration frequency is impacted by age, but there is no difference in sensitivity between the trunk and the back of the hand. It is recommended that the tactile vest for pilots be designed for general purposes to make it easy to adapt to vibration frequencies of multiple parts.
