| dc.description.abstract | Recent technological developments on head-mounted-devices have transformed the entertainment experience, immersive learning, and professional training applications for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) by providing realistic and immersive visual environment. Physical sensations play pivotal roles in creating truly immersive experiences. Among multiple physical sensations, the perception of weight or gravity is one of the most important senses as it shapes how humans interact with the world, influencing our perception of space, balance, and orientation. Visually and bodily perceived gravity, along with the interiorized representation of gravity, direct our interactions with objects in daily tasks, such as grasping, catching, and throwing. Although many devices have successfully introduced weight perception in VR, these devices may not be suitable for AR due to the nature of AR requiring seamless interaction with real and virtual objects. To address this gap, we developed a wrist exoskeleton that provides solely kinesthetic feedback and minimal haptic cues. Our research demonstrated the efficacy of this exoskeleton in replicating the sensation of weight for virtual objects in augmented reality environments. Additionally, with a human-subject study, we established a weight mapping between virtual and real objects, which can vary based on different grip methods. These findings provide valuable insights for the future design of wearable devices in VR and AR. They suggest that incorporating simple haptic feedback can significantly enhance realism and immersion, while customized force compensation may be needed for virtual objects in applications where precision is needed. This dissertation seeks to enhance human interaction with both physical and virtual environments, paving the way for more effective human augmentation in AR and more realistic and immersive AR experiences. | |
