Virtual Walking Sensation by Prerecorded Oscillating Optic Flow and Synchronous Foot Vibration

Abstract

This article reports the first psychological evidence that the combination of oscillating optic flow and synchronous foot vibration evokes a walking sensation. In this study, we first captured a walker’s first-person-view scenes with footstep timings. Participants observed the naturally oscillating scenes on a head-mounted display with vibrations on their feet and rated walking-related sensations using a Visual Analogue Scale. They perceived stronger sensations of self-motion, walking, leg action, and telepresence from the oscillating visual flow with foot vibrations than with randomized-timing vibrations or without vibrations. The artificial delay of foot vibrations with respect to the scenes diminished the walking-related sensations. These results suggest that the oscillating visual scenes and synchronous foot vibrations are effective for creating virtual walking sensations.

Enhancing Virtual Walking Sensation Using Self-Avatar in First-Person Perspective and Foot Vibrations

“…Synchronous or rhythmic foot vibrations enhanced the sensations of self-motion, walking, leg action, and telepresence, irrespective of the avatar conditions, both in the first-and third-person perspectives. This is consistent with the results of a previous study (Kitazaki et al, 2019). However, the effects of the full-body and hands-and-feet body avatars might be more effective with synchronous than with asynchronous foot vibrations because the synchronicity between the avatar's footsteps (visual stimuli) and foot vibrations (tactile stimuli) should improve the illusory body ownership of the avatar, similar to the rubber-hand illusion (Botvinick and Cohen, 1998).…”

“…Four items obtained from a previous study (Kitazaki et al, 2019) were presented to assess the participants' sensations after each stimulus (Figure 5).…”

“…Several virtual walking systems that do not necessitate active leg movements have been developed using vection (Lécuyer et al, 2006;Terziman et al, 2012;Ikei et al, 2015;Kitazaki et al, 2019). Integrating simulated camera motions (similar to perspective jitter) with the vection stimulus, such as an expanding radial flow, improves the walking sensation of seated users (Lécuyer et al, 2006).…”

“…Integrating simulated camera motions (similar to perspective jitter) with the vection stimulus, such as an expanding radial flow, improves the walking sensation of seated users (Lécuyer et al, 2006). By conveying tactile sensations to the feet in addition to vection, the pseudo-sensation of virtual walking sensation can be induced (Terziman et al, 2012;Ikei et al, 2015;Kitazaki et al, 2019). Kitazaki et al (2019) demonstrated that foot vibrations that were synchronous to the oscillating actual optic flow induced not only the sensation of self-motion but also the sensations of walking, leg action, and telepresence.…”

“…By conveying tactile sensations to the feet in addition to vection, the pseudo-sensation of virtual walking sensation can be induced (Terziman et al, 2012;Ikei et al, 2015;Kitazaki et al, 2019). Kitazaki et al (2019) demonstrated that foot vibrations that were synchronous to the oscillating actual optic flow induced not only the sensation of self-motion but also the sensations of walking, leg action, and telepresence. Kruijff et al (2016) demonstrated that walking-related vibrotactile cues on the feet, simulated head bobbing as a visual cue, and footstep sounds as auditory cues enhance vection and presence.…”