Can Wearable Haptic Devices Foster the Embodiment of Virtual Limbs?

Abstract

Increasing presence is one of the primary goals of virtual reality research. A crucial aspect is that users are capable of distinguishing their self from the external virtual world. The hypothesis we investigate is that wearable haptics play an important role in the body experience and could thereby contribute to the immersion of the user in the virtual environment. A within-subject study (n=32) comparing the embodiment of a virtual hand with different implementations of haptic feedback (force feedback, vibrotactile feedback, and no haptic feedback) is presented. Participants wore a glove with haptic feedback devices at thumb and index finger. They were asked to put virtual cubes on a moving virtual target. Touching a virtual object caused vibrotactile-feedback, force-feedback or no feedback depending on the condition. These conditions were provided both synchronously and asynchronously. Embodiment was assessed quantitatively with the proprioceptive drift and subjectively via a questionnaire. Results show that haptic feedback significantly improves the subjective embodiment of a virtual hand and that force feedback leads to stronger responses to certain subscales of subjective embodiment. These outcomes are useful guidelines for wearable haptic designer and represent a basis for further research concerning human body experience, in reality, and in virtual environments.Index Terms-wearable haptics, embodiment, haptics in VR, tactile feedback, virtual hand illusion.

Human–virtual character interaction: Toward understanding the influence of haptic feedback

“…In the current study, we considered different concepts, including presence and embodiment, as well as self‐report negative and positive affect. Previous studies have shown that haptic feedback in virtual reality can increase the sense of presence and embodiment and the influence positive and negative affect . To the best of our knowledge, no recent study has explored (1) the use of a haptic vest, (2) variations of the haptic feedback stimuli, or (3) the alteration of these two concepts during human–virtual character interaction.…”

Studying the Role of Haptic Feedback on Virtual Embodiment in a Drawing Task

“…A number of studies have shown the benefits and usages of haptic devices in virtual reality, such as studies on presence (García-Valle et al, 2017;Kreimeier et al, 2019), performance (Kreimeier et al, 2019), and learning (Lemole et al, 2007). However only few studies, detailed hereafter, focus on the role of haptic in virtual embodiment (Raz et al, 2008;Choi et al, 2016;Fröhner et al, 2018;Krogmeier et al, 2019).…”

“…Finally, the work by Fröhner et al (2018) provides great insight as to how haptic feedback rendered through wearables can increase embodiment. In their paper, the authors provided both force and vibrotactile feedback through timbles, with a normal force over two fingers to simulate force feedback, creating a wearable haptic glove.…”

“…This dichotomy allows for different types of stimulation within immersive virtual environments (IVEs), mainly force feedback and vibrotactile feedback. Now, the integration of haptic feedback is raising attention in regard to embodiment (Raz et al, 2008;Choi et al, 2016;Fröhner et al, 2018;Krogmeier et al, 2019) but studies related to that particular topic never combined VR and the various forms of haptic feedback to study embodiment. As such, it is still unclear how different kinds of haptic feedback can influence the sense of embodiment (SoE) in VR.…”

I feel a moving crowd surrounds me: Exploring tactile feedback during immersive walking in a virtual crowd

“…Moreover, a tactile pattern that describes the interaction appropriately has been shown to improve the realism of that interaction, 46 which was especially true when users received logical tactile feedback versus illogical feedback or tactile feedback that was perceived as inaccurate 7 . The user's sense of presence 55,56 and embodiment 57 has also been shown to increase when haptic feedback is provided, while it also affected the participant's emotional state (valence, arousal, and dominance) 58 . However, prior studies have not definitively determined whether and how tactile feedback affects the movement behavior and self‐reported ratings of participants during their immersion in a virtual crowd of people.…”