Abstract
Online shopping is being more popular, which is a way that only images viewed on the displays can convey information for customers. The tactile properties of the fabrics are one of the most important characteristics that affect customers’ desire to purchase. People can only imagine the feeling of fabrics tactile by viewing the images when shopping online. In such situation, whether the perception of tactile properties from images, namely visual perception, is consistent with the actual touch perception has not been fully understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the tactile properties of fabrics by touch and view. 15 fabrics representing various textures were selected to evaluate the actual touch perception. Subsequently, images of these fabrics in flat and draped shapes were captured using a Sony DSLR camera respectively to evaluate the visual perception of tactile properties on a BenQ profession display. Four dimensional tactile properties, flexible-stiff, smooth-rough, soft-firm, spongy-crisp, were evaluated in two psychophysical experiments (fabric by touch and fabric by view) using the subjective ratings (1-9). Three set of data were obtained for each fabric: Tactile by touch. Tactile by viewing flat fabric images. Tactile by viewing draped fabric images. Their correlation was analysed and compared in this study. The results showed that when viewing fabric images, fabric shape (flat or draped) significantly affected the visual perception except for smooth-rough. Comparing these two shapes, the correlation between actual touch perception and visual perception of tactile properties was stronger using draped fabric images. It is also found that the correlation between actual touch perception and visual perception was the strongest for tactile properties of soft-firm, while the weakest for smooth-rough regarding the two shapes. Together, this study reveals an important role of shape in perceiving tactile properties visually, showing a consistent visual perception with actual touch perception.