Threshold Container

A container that has a hole in the base and an open top has hair inserted into the hole that is a length long enough such that if fully extended, it would extend at least 10% longer than the height of the container. The hair is laid flat around the base of the container. The height of the container is 1 inch. The tube is arranged to be pressed onto the skin of a volunteer with the open top at the skin. The hair is electrostatically rubbed. The hair strands spread away from each other, extending beyond the threshold of the open top and press on the skin. The pressure results in a tactile sense of contact.

The timing of the electrostatic application is kept random. The person who is equipped with the container is asked to announce when a feeling of touch occurs on the skin. The sense of electroreception is the sense of electrical phenomena. The sense of touch is utilized to assist with the sense of electroreception.

Author: David Elkins

Illustrator: David Elkins

Copyright © 2026 David Elkins

All rights reserved.