Comparison of enhanced visual and haptic features in a virtual reality-based haptic simulation

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to compare the learning effects following motor skill training using three types of virtual reality simulations. Training and testing were presented using virtual reality (VR) and standardized forms of existing psychomotor tests, respectively. The VR training simulations included haptic, visual and a combination of haptic and visual assistance designed to accelerate training. A comparison of performance test results prior to and following training revealed conditions providing haptic assistance to yield lower scores related to fine motor skill training than the visual-only aiding condition. Similarly, training in the visual condition resulted in comparatively lower cognitive skill scores. The present investigation incorporating healthy subjects was designed as part of an ongoing research effort to provide insight on the design of VR simulations for rehabilitation of motor skills in patients with a history of mTBI. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.