Haptic guidance improves the visuo-manual tracking of trajectories

TL;DR

This study investigates how different types of haptic guidance, through force feedback devices, enhance the ability of adults to learn and accurately follow new trajectories in visuo-manual tasks.

Contribution

It compares position-based and force-based haptic guidance to determine their effectiveness in improving trajectory tracking performance.

Findings

Haptic guidance improves trajectory following accuracy.

Force-based guidance has a significant impact on learning.

Haptic cues encoded in force coordinates are crucial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Learning to perform new movements is usually achieved by following visual demonstrations. Haptic guidance by a force feedback device is a recent and original technology which provides additional proprioceptive cues during visuo-motor learning tasks. The effects of two types of haptic guidances-control in position (HGP) or in force (HGF)-on visuo-manual tracking ("following") of trajectories are still under debate. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPALS FINDINGS: Three training techniques of haptic guidance (HGP, HGF or control condition, NHG, without haptic guidance) were evaluated in two experiments. Movements produced by adults were assessed in terms of shapes (dynamic time warping) and kinematics criteria (number of velocity peaks and mean velocity) before and after the training sessions. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: These results show that the addition of haptic information, probably encoded in force coordinates, play a crucial role on the visuo-manual tracking of new trajectories.