Enhancing Perceived Resistance and Propulsion by Combining Pseudo-haptics and Pulling Illusion

Because haptic presentation using force-feedback devices has limitations for everyday use in terms of hardware size, cost, and installation requirements, pseudo-haptics, which can present a pseudo-feeling of touch, have attracted attention. However, the magnitude of the force given by pseudo-haptics that humans can perceive is limited. Therefore, in this study, we proposed a method that combines the pseudo-haptics and pulling illusion with asymmetric vibration to enhance the pseudo-force sensation that can be presented without a force feedback device. To investigate the effectiveness of this method, we quantitatively and separately evaluated the magnitude of resistive and propulsive forces perceived by participants. In the case of resistive force presentation, we found that the participants perceived stronger resistive forces when forces were presented by both pseudohaptics and pulling illusion than when only one of them was presented. However, regarding the propulsive force presentation, the combination of pseudo-haptics and asymmetric vibration did not produce a stronger perceived propulsive force than asymmetric vibration alone. The results indicated that combining pulling illusion and pseudo-haptics is effective in some cases.