An MRI-compatible tactile display device based on IPN-CP pastille-shaped actuators

摘要

This paper discusses the design and the realization of a prototype magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible tactile display device based on interpenetrated networks of conductive polymer actuators shaped into a pastille form. The electro-active polymers are investigated as an alternative solution to conceive tactile displays dedicated to fMRI studies. The tactile display is a 3x3 matrix-arranged pin; each pin is actuated independently and linked with the pastille-shaped IPN-CP actuator through a unilateral contact without intermediary motion or force amplification mechanism. All the technical aspects are discussed and presented.