Multisensory Integration in the Virtual Hand Illusion with Active Movement

Abstract

Improving the sense of immersion is one of the core issues in virtual reality. Perceptual illusions of ownership can be perceived over a virtual body in a multisensory virtual reality environment. Rubber Hand and Virtual Hand Illusions showed that body ownership can be manipulated by applying suitable visual and tactile stimulation. In this study, we investigate the effects of multisensory integration in the Virtual Hand Illusion with active movement. A virtual xylophone playing system which can interactively provide synchronous visual, tactile, and auditory stimulation was constructed. We conducted two experiments regarding different movement conditions and different sensory stimulations. Our results demonstrate that multisensory integration with free active movement can improve the sense of immersion in virtual reality.

Can Wearable Haptic Devices Foster the Embodiment of Virtual Limbs?

“…Sallnäs et al [7] found that implementing a force feedback mechanism had positive effects on physical presence and task performance. Similarly, haptic feedback showed positive effects on embodiment in VR [8].…”

“…This method is mostly used when the illusion is induced passively only by stroking the hands without moving. We decided to consider proprioceptive drift even if, due to the problems with evaluating the drift in a active moving task as that proposed in this work, questionnaire are often used as the only mean to evaluate the strength of the illusion [8].…”

“…In the present study, we want to investigate whether the illusion of embodying a virtual hand can be increased when haptic feedback is provided through wearable devices. Choi et al investigated that regarding movement, a free movement task yields strongest illusions in different active movement conditions [8]. Furthermore, they reported that tactile stimulation had more significant influences than auditory stimulation on the VHI.…”

“…However, most of the experiments involving haptic feedback were realized either limiting haptics to the end effector of an instrument which was manipulated by the human user [8], [9], or with the use of exoskeleton mechanically controlled to impart forces on the user according to the user interaction in the virtual environment [10]. These solutions highly constrained the user possible interaction to the relative reduced workspaces of the devices.…”

Mechatronic designs for a robotic hand to explore human body experience and sensory-motor skills: a Delphi study

“…The technical solutions applied in psychology-related literature are less sophisticated or do not represent the full capabilities of the human hand [25][26][27]. Moreover, the results on the influence of haptic feedback are contradictory [28,29]. Hence, it appears very promising to support psychological and biomechanical experiments targeting assisitve applications as well as the neuroscientific investigation on human sensory-motor control by a tailored robotic hand.Due to these reasons, a robotic hand concept designed to adopt the specific requirements appears very promising to support psychological and biomechanical experiments targeting assisitve applications such as prosthetics as well as the neuroscientific investigation on human sensory-motor control.…”