Abstract
This paper reports the effect of surface area on maximum discomfort causing pressure or maximum pressure tolerance (MPT). Two circular probes of different cross sectional area were used to stimulate the skin surface. The mean MPT with a probed of 5 mm diameter was 3.3 times higher than the MPT with a probe of 13 mm diameter. These finding suggest the ff: 1) perceived discomfort and contact area seem to have a 'U-relationship' above a critical force value, 2) high pressures in concentrated areas may cause less discomfort than 'moderate' pressure over a large area, and 3) the critical or threshold pressure to induce discomfort is force and contact area dependent.
| Original language | British English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 688-690 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society |
| Volume | 1 |
| State | Published - 1994 |
| Event | Proceedings of the 38th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Part 2 (of 2) - Nashville, TN, USA Duration: 24 Oct 1994 → 28 Oct 1994 |