VSTaI: Design and Characterization of Variable-Stiffness Tactile Interfaces Based on 3D-Printed Structured Fabrics
arXiv:2607.29102v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Realistic palpation training requires reliable rendering of soft tissue stiffness changes in real time, which is difficult to achieve with conventional simulators. This paper presents a compact, variable-stiffness tactile interface (VSTaI) based on vacuum-induced jamming of 3D-printed structured fabrics. A vacuum-sealed fabric layer is sandwiched between two silicone layers, and stiffness is tuned by regulating internal pressure. Four fabric patterns with different geometric parameters were fabricated and evaluated using force-indentation tests under atmospheric and vacuum conditions. Across the tested pattern and geometry combinations, vacuum jamming increased stiffness significantly, producing an effective modulus from sub-megapascal to megapascal levels. Specifically, one configuration exhibited a stiffness increase of up to 140% under the jammed state. Circular chainmail patterns provided the most spatially uniform distribution of tactile stiffness, while denser geometries reached higher peak stiffness. VSTaI was also shown to exhibit excellent conformability to the underlying geometry. These results support structured-fabric jamming as a practical approach for shape-conformable, tunable-stiffness displays aimed at physical examination training.
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[Submitted on 31 Jul 2026]
Title:VSTaI: Design and Characterization of Variable-Stiffness Tactile Interfaces Based on 3D-Printed Structured Fabrics
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Abstract:Realistic palpation training requires reliable rendering of soft tissue stiffness changes in real time, which is difficult to achieve with conventional simulators. This paper presents a compact, variable-stiffness tactile interface (VSTaI) based on vacuum-induced jamming of 3D-printed structured fabrics. A vacuum-sealed fabric layer is sandwiched between two silicone layers, and stiffness is tuned by regulating internal pressure. Four fabric patterns with different geometric parameters were fabricated and evaluated using force-indentation tests under atmospheric and vacuum conditions. Across the tested pattern and geometry combinations, vacuum jamming increased stiffness significantly, producing an effective modulus from sub-megapascal to megapascal levels. Specifically, one configuration exhibited a stiffness increase of up to 140% under the jammed state. Circular chainmail patterns provided the most spatially uniform distribution of tactile stiffness, while denser geometries reached higher peak stiffness. VSTaI was also shown to exhibit excellent conformability to the underlying geometry. These results support structured-fabric jamming as a practical approach for shape-conformable, tunable-stiffness displays aimed at physical examination training.
Subjects:
Robotics (cs.RO)
Cite as: arXiv:2607.29102 [cs.RO]
(or arXiv:2607.29102v1 [cs.RO] for this version)
https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2607.29102
arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration)
Journal reference: Haptics: Understanding Touch; Technology and Systems; Applications and Interaction. EuroHaptics 2026. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 16594. Springer, Cham
Related DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-32350-7_38
DOI(s) linking to related resources
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From: Yiting Mo [view email] [v1] Fri, 31 Jul 2026 07:31:59 UTC (27,040 KB)
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