DexPulse: A Manual Dexterity Support Method Using Repetitive Tactile Stimulation from a Wrist-Worn Device

Fine motor function of the hands underpins a wide range of daily and occupational activities, and providing technology that supports such activities simply in everyday life is an important application of wearable computing. With the aim of improving manual dexterity, this study explored the potential of a method that delivers low-pulse-rate repetitive tactile stimulation from a wrist-worn device immediately before a task requiring manual dexterity. After 32 participants completed an unstimulated pegboard task twice, ON/OFF pulse stimulation at either 3 pulses/10 s or 11 pulses/10 s was delivered for two minutes, followed immediately by an unstimulated pegboard task. Among all participants, the post-stimulation shortening in completion time did not significantly exceed the shortening associated with pre-intervention task repetition, and no intervention effect specific to tactile stimulation was confirmed. In contrast, in an exploratory subgroup analysis of 12 participants for whom no shortening in completion time was observed across the two pre-intervention task repetitions, a shortening in completion time was observed after stimulation. However, because no sham-stimulation control condition was included, the change in this subgroup cannot be causally attributed to tactile stimulation. This study provides a hypothesis-generating observation in a small sample and preliminary information for considering short wrist tactile pulses as a candidate for a low-burden pre-task intervention. In the future, this study will contribute to the design of wearable computers that support manual work briefly using wrist-worn devices suitable for everyday use.