Audiotactile integration in the Pacinian corpusclel’s maximum sensitivity frequency range

It has been shown that vibrotactile stimuli elicit sound perception either on their own or by enhancing otherwise inaudible sounds. For taking advantage of this phenomenon in the design of vibrotactile interfaces, it is important to identify its properties with respect to the level of the excitation frequency. The aim of this work is to further substantiate previous research results that indicate a prevalence of this phenomenon at a specific range of frequencies (200–390 Hz), which roughly pertains to the Pacinian corpuscle’s maximum sensitivity range. Thirteen young adults participated in the study, which included comparison between sound-and-vibration versus sound-only signals. Masking background noise and no-touch control experiments were included to further support the outcome. The results validate the hypothesis that vibrotactile excitation at the index fingertip can enhance otherwise inaudible tones in the specific range of frequencies.