Perception of Walking Self-body Avatar Enhances Virtual-walking Sensation

Various virtual walking systems have been developed using treadmill or leg-support devices to move users’ legs. We proposed and evaluated a virtual walking system for sitting observers using only passive sensations such as optic flow and foot vibrations. In this study, we examined whether the virtual body representing observer’s walking could facilitate the sensations of virtual walking in a virtual environment. We found that the virtual body enhanced sensations of walking, leg action and presence except for self-motion. These results suggest that perception of walking self-body avatar would facilitate sensations of walking and presence independently from foot vibrations.