Effect of Perspective and Visuo-Tactile Feedback in Virtual Reality-Based Posture Learning

Posture learning is required in rehabilitation and in sports such as yoga and martial arts. Virtual reality (VR) systems are being used to learn posture by superimposing the postures of the learner and instructor in cyberspace using avatars. In this study, we examined whether the presented perspective of the avatar (first-person vs. third-person perspective) and visuo-tactile feedback (tactile correct feedback + visual feedback vs. tactile incorrect feedback + visual feedback vs. visual only feedback) are effective for the posture learning. The results of an experiment (N = 24) suggested that use of the third-person perspective may result in accurate learning of the head position as compared with first-person perspective. Visuo-tactile feedback was found to improve the subjective rating on the ease of learning, while the presentation method in which tactile feedback is given when body position is correct was found to be more effective than tactile feedback given when body position is incorrect. The sense of agency was maintained at a high level under all conditions for perspective and visuo-tactile feedback and may have improved the learning accuracy of posture. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the design of effective perspective and tactile presentation in VR-based motor learning.