The study on microslip using a signal detection theory

Since slipping has been identified as a major hazard, it is important to understand the mechanism of a slip. Many researches, based on biomechanical studies, had been attempted to do that. Thowever, the correlation between the mechanism of a slip and psychophysical behaviors of people had rarely been verified. For example, the existence of small slips in a forward direction, which do not normally perceived by human subjects, has been established by several experimenters. However, the term "microslips are not perceived by the walkers[4]." has not been examined precisely by any experiments. The objective of this study is, using a Signal Detection Theory (SDT), to define a microslip and slip more quqntitatively with the biomechanical measurement of slip distance. The results showed that, the slip distance around the 3 centimeters, there was a obvious change in the accident detectability of the subject. The conclusion is that it is possible to identify the boundary of a microslip and slip around the 3 centermeters of slip distance.