Modulation of a Hand-held Object's Property through Proprioceptive Stimulation during Active Arm Movement

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether stimulation of the proprioceptors in the arm during active movement can affect not only the proprioception of the arm but also the perception of the hand-held object. If it is possible to control the perception of a hand-held object through stimulation to the body, it can be applied to virtual-reality interfaces and controllers, which can be used in a wide range of situations. In the experiment, proprioceptive stimulation was based on the kinesthetic illusion induced by vibratory stimulation of muscle spindles and skin stretch near the joint. Participants were given a context in which they grasped an object and actively moved. They were asked to evaluate the perception of the object and the arm as the phase between movement and stimulation, and the conditions of stimuli were changed. Consequently, it was found that the perception of not only the arm but also the hand-held object could be changed, although there were large individual differences.