Adding thermal information to multisensory input in simulated environments
- Authors: Van Doorn, George , Richardson, Barry , Symmons, Mark , Wells, Jonathan
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Intelligent Defence Support Systems Vol. 2, no. 4 (2009 2009), p. 350-362
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Although simulated environments are improved by adding sensory information, temperature is one input that has rarely featured in them. Here we report findings from experiments that examine the efficacy of adding temperature information to the multimodal complex known to be of benefit in simulations. In the first experiment, Peltier tiles added thermal information to the kinesthetic feedback given by a hand-worn exoskeletal device and this increased ratings for 'presence' during interactions with simulated objects. In an experiment in which exploratory movements across surfaces of differing temperatures were either active or passive-guided, the degree of 'coldness' felt at the fingertip was reported as less intense when movement was active, suggesting that intentionality of movement plays a role in the attenuation of the thermal stimulus. Other work reported here suggests that the perception of temperature is not influenced by a simultaneously presented colour. For example, the perception of coldness is not enhanced when it is processed in conjunction with a blue colour. We discuss the potential value of thermal information within the context of the hypothesis that presence in simulated environments is enhanced by multisensory inputs that include redundant information.
Haptics can "lend a hand" to a bionic eye
- Authors: Richardson, Barry , Van Doorn, George
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Haptics: Generating and Perceiving Tangible Sensations p. 320-325
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Here we argue that haptics (touch and kinaesthesis) can play a key role in the development of a bionic eye. Tactile displays can supplement and complement the incomplete information that a visual prosthetic will offer the brain in early stages of the prosthetic’s development. Kinaesthetic inputs give the brain feedback about motor activities that correlate with both visual and tactile inputs, and are critical for perceptual competency. Haptic inputs can also help “teach” the new visual sense to respond to stimuli that are initially indiscriminable and enable cross-calibration of inputs to strengthen multimodal cortical connections. By using haptics to supplement and complement inputs from a visual prosthetic, a bionic eye can develop more quickly than did the Bionic Ear.