Active versus passive touch in three dimensions

Active subjects freely explored virtual three-dimensional geometric shapes using a phantom force-feedback device. Each active subject's movements were used to guide a passive subject over the same stimuli. In experiment 1 the active subject's movements were recorded and "played back" to the passive counterpart at a later time - a delayed yoking. Two phantoms were used in experiment 2 so that as the active subject explored, the passive subject was guided simultaneously along the same movement pathway. Active exploration yielded significantly shorter latencies than did passive-guided exploration.