PERCEPTION OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AT THE MAN-MACHINE INTERFACE.

A method is discussed for studying the human perception of basic mechanical components (spring, dashpot, and mass) and the effects of their use in delayed feedback. The goal is to improve the performance and information transfer of manual controls. A one-degree-of-freedom rotational system, consisting of a motor and a high-speed controller, is presented as the basis for a test apparatus. Combinations of position, rate, and acceleration control are used to digitally simulate springs, viscous dampers, and inertias, and human interpretations of these elements are obtained through subjects' quantitative and qualitative evaluations. Findings based on initial experimentation are discussed, and revisions and extensions are proposed.