Estimating Cognitive Processes Related to Haptic Interaction within Virtual Environments

Efforts exist to combine a brain-machine interface (BMI) into a 3D virtual environment (VE) for visual tasks. User interaction via haptic stimuli within the VE is still unexplored for developing the BMI however, due to little understanding of cognitive processes related to such haptic interaction. Hence, we investigated a feasibility of estimating cognitive processes related to haptic interaction. Involved in the investigation, human participants undertook a task via different haptic stimuli (e.g., force and vibration) within a 3D VE . Their brain activities evoked by the stimuli were acquired as electroencephalography signals. Patterns of event-related potential and power spectral density were extracted from the signals, indicating activation in certain brain areas. The estimation of connectivity among these areas used directed transfer function, emphasizing on the middle of the β band (1/030 Hz) in the signals. The emphasis was due to the band's association with active focus and thinking. We found that, while behavioral differences were unapparent, all vibration-related stimuli yielded distinct active brain areas and connectivity to form certain cognitive processes. The finding implied a potential of localizing the processes for BMI-based haptic interaction.