Apparatus for Experiencing Visual-Tactile Interaction

An apparatus for experiencing visual-tactile interaction, comprising:

• a case having therein a first chamber and a second chamber arranged in parallel;
• a first stimulating unit, provided within said first chamber, for giving a dynamic stimulus to a first prosthesis, placed in said first chamber, that mimics a part of one of a left limb and a right limb;
• a first drive unit, provided within said first chamber, for supporting said first stimulating unit and allowing said first stimulating unit to move and/or turn;
• a second stimulating unit, provided within said second chamber, for giving a dynamic stimulus to a second prosthesis, placed in said second chamber, that mimics a part of the other left or right limb;
• a second drive unit, provided within said second chamber, for supporting said second stimulating unit and allowing said second stimulating unit to move and/or turn,
• a first opening, provided in said case, for allowing a subject to insert a part of one of the limbs corresponding to said second prosthesis into said first chamber;
• a second opening, provided in said case, for allowing a subject to insert a part of the other one of the limbs corresponding to that said first prosthesis into said second chamber;
• a mirror, provided perpendicular to the bottom of said case between said first chamber and said second chamber, for reflecting both a mirror image of said first prosthesis placed within said first chamber and a mirror image of said second prosthesis placed within said second chamber;
• and
• a first viewing window of said first chamber for allowing said subject to view a mirror image of said first prosthesis reflected in said mirror, and a second viewing window of said second chamber for allowing said subject to view a mirror image of said second prosthesis reflected in said mirror, each of which is provided in said case, wherein
• (a) when the prosthesis placed in the apparatus is said first prosthesis by allowing a subject, who places said first prosthesis in said first chamber and inserts said part of said the other one of the limbs corresponding to that of said first prosthesis into said second chamber, to view a mirror image of said first prosthesis which is being subjected to a dynamic stimulus by said first stimulating unit through said first viewing window, said subject is caused to experience sensation of a phantom limb produced by visual-tactile interaction, or
• (b) when the prosthesis placed in the apparatus is said second prosthesis, by allowing a subject, who places and said second prosthesis in said second chamber and inserts said pat of said other one of the limbs corresponding to that of said second prosthesis into said first chamber, to view a mirror image of said second prosthesis which is being subjected to a dynamic stimulus by said second stimulating unit through said second viewing window, said subject is caused to experience sensation of a phantom limb produced by visual-tactile interaction.

An apparatus for experiencing visual-tactile interaction, comprising:

• a case having therein a first chamber and a second chamber arranged in parallel;
• a first stimulating unit, provided within said first chamber, for giving a dynamic stimulus to a first prosthesis, placed in said first chamber, that mimics a part of either one of a left limb and a right limb;
• a first drive unit, provided within said first chamber, for supporting said first stimulating unit and allowing said first stimulating unit to move and/or turn;
• a second stimulating unit, provided within said second chamber, for giving a dynamic stimulus to a second prosthesis, placed in said second chamber, that mimics a part of the other one of the left limb and the right limb;
• a second drive unit, provided within said second chamber, for supporting said second stimulating unit and allowing said second stimulating unit to move and/or rotate;
• a first opening, provided in said case, for allowing a subject to insert a part of one of the limbs corresponding to that of said second prosthesis into said first chamber;
• a second opening, provided in said case, for allowing a subject to insert a part of the other one of the limbs corresponding to that of said first prosthesis into said second chamber;
• a mirror, provided perpendicular to the bottom of said case between said first chamber and said second chamber, for reflecting either a mirror image of said first prosthesis placed within said first chamber or a mirror image of said second prosthesis placed within said second chamber;
• and
• a first viewing window of said first chamber for allowing said subject to view a mirror image of said first prosthesis reflected in said mirror, and a second viewing window of said second chamber for allowing said subject to view a mirror image of said second prosthesis reflected in said mirror, each of which is provided in said case, wherein
• said mirror has a structure enabling said mirror to be removed from said case and attached to said case after changing the orientation thereof, and
• (a) when the prosthesis placed in the apparatus is said first prosthesis, by allowing a subject, who places said first prosthesis in said first chamber, with said mirror being attached to said case so as to oppose said first chamber, and who inserts said part of said other one of the limbs corresponding to that of said first prosthesis into said second chamber, to view a mirror image of said first prosthesis which is being subjected to a dynamic stimulus by said first stimulating unit through said first viewing window, and said subject is caused to experience sensation of a phantom limb produced by visual-tactile interaction, or
• (b) when the prosthesis placed in the apparatus is said second prosthesis, by allowing a subject, who places said second prosthesis in said second chamber, with said mirror being attached to said case so as to oppose said second chamber, and who inserts said part of said other one of the limbs corresponding to that of said second prosthesis into said first chamber, to view a mirror image of said second prosthesis which is being subjected to a dynamic stimulus by said second stimulating unit through said second viewing window, and said subject is caused to experience sensation of a phantom limb produced by visual-tactile interaction.