The effect of haptic feedback on body scheme calibration under virtual reality

Abstract

Immersive virtual reality system has a problem that the operability deteriorates if the shape of the virtual body is parted from the real body. The authors are assuming that this is caused by misfit of the body scheme, an internal model in the brain used to recall the body position, because it is initially tuned up to the real body instead of virtual body. Thus, the authors have proposed a method using VR technology called Body Scheme Calibration to change the body scheme adapting to the real body so as to fit the virtual body. However, in the previous approach, presented VR information was limited to visual information, and haptic information normally occurring from interaction with surrounding object was neglected. Therefore, this paper investigated the effect of haptic information on Body Scheme Calibration. As an experimental result, it was verified that the effect of additional haptic information is trivial, and the complex haptic interface for this calibration might be omissible.