Inducing Self-Motion Sensations With Haptic Feedback: State-of-The-Art and Perspectives on Haptic Motion

While virtual reality applications flourish, there is a growing need for technological solutions to induce compelling self-motion, as an alternative to cumbersome motion platforms. Haptic devices target the sense of touch, yet more and more researchers managed to address the sense of motion by means of specific and localized haptic stimulations. This innovative approach constitutes a specific paradigm that can be called haptic motion. This article aims to introduce, formalize, survey and discuss this relatively new research field. First, we summarize some core concepts of self-motion perception, and propose a definition of the haptic motion approach based on three criteria. Then, we present a summary of existing related literature, from which we formulate and discuss three research problems that we estimate key for the development of the field: the rationale to design a proper haptic stimulus, the methods to evaluate and characterize self-motion sensations, and the usage of multimodal motion cues.

Automated summary

As virtual reality applications continue to grow, there is a need for technological solutions to create a compelling sense of self-motion without the use of bulky motion platforms. Haptic devices that focus on the sense of touch are effective, but researchers have found ways to address the sense of motion through specific and localized haptic stimulations. This article introduces, formalizes, surveys, and discusses the relatively new research field of haptic motion. Core concepts of self-motion perception are summarized, and a definition of the haptic motion approach is proposed based on three criteria. The existing literature is reviewed to identify three key research problems: designing proper haptic stimuli, evaluating and characterizing self-motion sensations, and utilizing multimodal motion cues.