Beyond Skin Deep : Integrating 'Mouse' and 'Finger' Masks for Simulated Electrodermal Activity from Touch Sensors

Imagine interfaces that adapt to your stress levels, games that ramp up difficulty with your excitement, or assistive technology that anticipates your frustration. A key physiological signal for these insights is Electrodermal Activity (EDA), often known as Galvanic Skin Response (GSR). Traditionally, measuring EDA involves dedicated electrodes attached to the skin, typically on the fingers or palms. While effective, thisapproach can be intrusive, cumbersome, and impractical for many real-world interaction scenarios. What if we could infer these valuable signals from the very surfaces we already touch every day ? This is where the innovative concept of integrating "mouse masks" and "finger masks" for simulated EDA from touch sensors comes into play. It’s about turning our common touchpoints into subtle emotional eavesdroppers, withoutthe need for additional hardware. This paper integrates mouse and finger mask contact from the touch sensor of a touch pad to generate a simulated EDA, which proves to be very effective for future research on EDA and Skin Temperature readings.