Visual-Induced Tactile Illusions in MR: Exploring Pseudohaptic Simulation of Material Fragility

Simulating tactile feedback in immersive technology without specialized hardware remains a significant challenge. This thesis work addresses this issue by exploring pseudohaptics, a technique that leverages visual and cognitive cues to induce the illusion of touch and material properties without physical haptic devices, within Mixed Reality (MR). The research focuses on recreating material characteristics, particularly fragility, by relying solely on visual feedback to evoke tactile sensations. Two modes of interaction with the real world were implemented: one utilizing a Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) sensor connected to an Oculus Meta 3 headset via a microcontroller and another employing the headset’s native hand tracking system. Two experiments were conducted. The first examined which visual features most effectively convey the sensation of fragility. The second employed a Two-Alternative Forced Choice (2AFC) paradigm to measure the Just Noticeable Difference (JND) between varying levels of perceived fragility. The results help to better understand how visual and interactive stimuli can simulate material properties in MR, advancing the field of non-invasive haptic simulation and enriching user experiences without the need for dedicated hardware.