Pseudo-Haptics Survey: Human-Computer Interaction in Extended Reality & Teleoperation

TL;DR

This survey reviews pseudo-haptic techniques that use visual feedback to simulate touch sensations, emphasizing their applications in extended reality and teleoperation, and introduces a new taxonomy for categorizing these methods.

Contribution

It presents a novel taxonomy for pseudo-haptic techniques, covering tactile, kinesthetic, and multimodal approaches, and explores their integration into extended reality environments.

Findings

Pseudo-haptic techniques are cost-effective and portable.

Multimodal strategies enhance the realism of virtual interactions.

Future research avenues include integration into collaborative virtual environments.

Abstract

Pseudo-haptic techniques are becoming increasingly popular in human-computer interaction. They replicate haptic sensations by leveraging primarily visual feedback rather than mechanical actuators. These techniques bridge the gap between the real and virtual worlds by exploring the brain's ability to integrate visual and haptic information. One of the many advantages of pseudo-haptic techniques is that they are cost-effective, portable, and flexible. They eliminate the need for direct attachment of haptic devices to the body, which can be heavy and large and require a lot of power and maintenance. Recent research has focused on applying these techniques to extended reality and mid-air interactions. To better understand the potential of pseudo-haptic techniques, the authors developed a novel taxonomy encompassing tactile feedback, kinesthetic feedback, and combined categories in multimodal approaches, ground not covered by previous surveys. This survey highlights multimodal strategies and potential avenues for future studies, particularly regarding integrating these techniques into extended reality and collaborative virtual environments.