Impact of Multiple Sensory Cues in Immersive Virtual Reality: Evidence From a Full-Body Haptic Suit

Previous works have shown that providing visuo-tactile stimuli synchronously or/and congruent to an artificial and physical body part cause users to perceive the artificial body part as their own. Although this illusion over fake limbs has been extended to immersive virtual reality (VR), the effect of haptic feedback on full body has not been yet examined in depth. This study investigates the effects of visuo-tactile and visuo-motor stimulation on inducing embodiment within VR using a full-body motion capture suit with haptic feedback. Our findings reveal that synchronous and congruent visuo-tactile stimulation significantly enhances the sense of embodiment compared to incongruent visuo-tactile or visuo-motor stimulation alone. Further findings related to heart activity and subjective ratings suggest that incongruent visuo-tactile stimulation or the complete absence of haptic feedback may increase the stress level after the threat event, indicating body disconnection or body disownership. These findings have practical implications for VR system design, particularly in gaming and interactive entertainment. Our results showing the effects of visuo-tactile in addition to the visuo-motor stimuli provide valuable insights for optimizing the sense of embodiment in VR experiences. Ultimately, our research underlines the potential of haptic technologies in creating more engaging and immersive virtual environments.