An Experiment on Weight Sensation in Real and Virtual Environments

Virtual reality allows users to visualize and interact with a three-dimensional world in a computer-generated environment. Haptic technology has allowed enhancement to these environments, adding the sense of touch through force and tactile feedback devices. In the engineering domain, these devices have been implemented in many areas including product design. We have developed a real-time simulation test bed to assess the usefulness of haptic technology for assembly and disassembly planning. In this paper, we present a study conducted to characterize the perception of weight in this virtual environment. Specifically, the experiments performed test the ability of a user to distinguish weight differences between two objects in real and virtual environments. This paper describes the experiments conducted and an analysis of the results.Copyright © 2004 by ASME