Virtual Walking Sensation by Prerecorded Oscillating Optic Flow and Synchronous Foot Vibration. (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kitazaki, Michiteru; Hamada, Takeo; Yoshiho, Katsuya; Kondo, Ryota; Amemiya, Tomohiro; Hirota, Koichi; Ikei, Yasushi
• Is Part Of: I-Perception. Volume 10:Number 5(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: optic flow -- self-motion -- vection -- walking -- jitter -- tactile vibration; Perception -- Periodicals; Visual perception -- Periodicals; Perception; Perception; Electronic journals; Periodical; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; Periodicals; 153.7
• DOI: 10.1177/2041669519882448
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2041-6695

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.