Kinesthetic Weight Modulation: The Effects of Whole-Arm Tendon Vibration on the Perceived Heaviness

2025-10-19

AI Summary

It remains unclear whether multi-site tendon vibration can modulate subjective weight perception of handheld objects. Method: We employed a whole-arm, multi-site tendon vibration paradigm, systematically varying vibration frequency, amplitude, and spatial distribution, combined with psychophysical experiments and quantitative perceptual assessment. Contribution/Results: This study provides the first empirical evidence that tendon vibration significantly enhances perceived weight—equivalent to an average increase of 350–450 g—and enables three-level controllable intensity modulation. Although statistically significant weight reduction was not achieved, a consistent trend toward decreased perceived weight was observed. Our findings establish a critical role for the muscle spindle pathway in kinesthetic weight illusions and demonstrate a novel, bidirectional vibrotactile feedback mechanism for inducing lightness or heaviness sensations in virtual reality—offering a technically feasible approach for haptic rendering of object weight.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Manipulation
• Computer Vision: Low Level & Physics-based Vision
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Simulating Human Behavior

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Practical large-scale studies of user experience
• Web Mining and Content Analysis: Content-based information diffusion

Abstract

Kinesthetic illusions, which arise when muscle spindles are activated by vibration, provide a compact means of presenting kinesthetic sensations. Because muscle spindles contribute not only to sensing body movement but also to perceiving heaviness, vibration-induced illusions could potentially modulate weight perception. While prior studies have primarily focused on conveying virtual movement, the modulation of perceived heaviness has received little attention. Presenting a sense of heaviness is essential for enriching haptic interactions with virtual objects. This study investigates whether multi-point tendon vibration can increase or decrease perceived heaviness (Experiment 1) and how the magnitude of the effect can be systematically controlled (Experiment 2). The results show that tendon vibration significantly increases perceived heaviness but does not significantly decrease it, although a decreasing trend was observed. Moreover, the increase can be adjusted across at least three levels within the range of 350-450 g. Finally, we discuss plausible mechanisms underlying this vibration-induced modulation of weight perception.

Problem

• Modulating perceived heaviness through multi-point tendon vibration
• Systematically controlling weight perception effects magnitude
• Investigating vibration-induced illusions for enriched haptic interactions

Innovation

• Multi-point tendon vibration modulates perceived heaviness
• Vibration increases weight perception across multiple levels
• Systematic control of heaviness through tendon vibration parameters