Type of Publication: Research report

Give Weight to VR: Manipulating Users’ Perception of Weight in Virtual Reality with Electric Muscle Stimulation

Author(s):

Faltaous, Sarah; Prochazka, Marvin; Auda, Jonas; Keppel, Jonas; Wittig, Nick; Gruenefeld, Uwe; Schneegass, Stefan

Publisher:

Association for Computing Machinery

Location(s):

New York, NY, USA

Publication Date:

2022

ISBN:

9781450396905

Keywords:

virtual reality, illusions, haptics, electric muscle stimulation

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

doi:10.1145/3543758.3547571

Citation:

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Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) devices empower users to experience virtual worlds through rich visual and auditory sensations. However, believable haptic feedback that communicates the physical properties of virtual objects, such as their weight, is still unsolved in VR. The current trend towards hand tracking-based interactions, neglecting the typical controllers, further amplifies this problem. Hence, in this work, we investigate the combination of passive haptics and electric muscle stimulation to manipulate users’ perception of weight, and thus, simulate objects with different weights. In a laboratory user study, we investigate four differing electrode placements, stimulating different muscles, to determine which muscle results in the most potent perception of weight with the highest comfort. We found that actuating the biceps brachii or the triceps brachii muscles increased the weight perception of the users. Our findings lay the foundation for future investigations on weight perception in VR.