ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the perceptual issues in the often overlooked area of force and force feedback perception and control. Despite automation, manual control is still an essential element in vehicle control and accurate perception of control forces still form an essential element in the experience of vehicle operators. This chapter discusses manual control with specific emphasis on the perception of forces applied to the control and the forces fed back to the operator from those control devices. A section on the neuroanatomy of manual control and force feedback sensation focuses on the perception of pressure sensation and position of various body parts, including cutaneous mechanoreceptors and sensors in the muscles and joints. This section is followed by a review of studies examining the perceptual sensitivity of humans to force and force feedback under various experimental conditions. Finally, studies evaluating the efficacy of force feedback simulator components will be examined.
