IEEE Trans Vis Comput Graph. 2024 Nov;30(11):7430-7440. doi: 10.1109/TVCG.2024.3456173. Epub 2024 Oct 10.
The use of Virtual Reality (VR) technology, especially in medical rehabilitation, has expanded to include tactile cues along with visual stimuli. For patients with upper limb hemiplegia, tangible handles with haptic stimuli could improve their ability to perform daily activities. Traditional VR controllers are unsuitable for patient rehabilitation in VR, necessitating the design of specialized tangible handles with integrated tracking devices. Besides, matching tactile stimulation with corresponding virtual visuals could strengthen users' embodiment (i.e., owning and controlling virtual bodies) in VR, which is crucial for patients' training with virtual hands. Haptic stimuli have been shown to amplify the embodiment in VR, whereas the effect of partial tactile stimulation from tangible handles on embodiment remains to be clarified. This research, including three experiments, aims to investigate how partial tactile feedback of tangible handles impacts users' embodiment, and we proposed a design concept called TouchMark for partial tactile stimuli that could help users quickly connect the physical and virtual worlds. To evaluate users' tactile and comfort perceptions when grasping tangible handles in a non-VR setting, various handles with three partial tactile factors were manipulated in Study 1. In Study 2, we explored the effects of partial feedback using three forms of TouchMark on the embodiment of healthy users in VR, with various tangible handles, while Study 3 focused on similar investigations with patients. These handles were utilized to complete virtual food preparation tasks. The tactile and comfort perceptions of tangible handles and users' embodiment were evaluated in this research using questionnaires and interviews. The results indicate that TouchMark with haptic line and ring forms over no stimulation would significantly enhance users' embodiment, especially for patients. The low-cost and innovative TouchMark approach may assist users, particularly those with limited VR experience, in achieving the embodiment and enhancing their virtual interactive experience.
虚拟现实 (VR) 技术的应用，特别是在医学康复领域，已经扩展到包括触觉提示以及视觉刺激。对于上肢偏瘫患者，具有触觉刺激的有形手柄可以提高他们执行日常活动的能力。传统的 VR 控制器不适合患者在 VR 中的康复，因此需要设计带有集成跟踪设备的专用有形手柄。此外，将触觉刺激与相应的虚拟视觉效果相匹配可以增强用户在 VR 中的体现感（即拥有和控制虚拟身体），这对于患者使用虚拟手进行训练至关重要。触觉刺激已被证明可以增强 VR 中的体现感，而有形手柄的部分触觉刺激对体现感的影响仍需进一步阐明。本研究包括三个实验，旨在探讨有形手柄的部分触觉反馈如何影响用户的体现感，我们提出了一种称为“TouchMark”的设计概念，用于部分触觉刺激，可以帮助用户快速连接物理和虚拟世界。为了评估用户在非 VR 环境中抓取有形手柄时的触觉和舒适感，研究 1 中操纵了具有三个部分触觉因素的各种手柄。在研究 2 中，我们探索了使用三种形式的 TouchMark 进行部分反馈对 VR 中健康用户体现感的影响，同时使用了各种有形手柄，而研究 3 则专注于对患者进行类似的调查。这些手柄用于完成虚拟食品准备任务。本研究使用问卷和访谈评估了有形手柄和用户体现感的触觉和舒适感。结果表明，具有触觉线和环形形式的 TouchMark 比无刺激的形式会显著增强用户的体现感，特别是对于患者。低成本且创新的 TouchMark 方法可以帮助用户，特别是那些 VR 经验有限的用户，实现体现感并增强他们的虚拟交互体验。
