Abstract:
Virtual Reality (VR) technology oers immersive experiences primarily through visual perception, but full immersion requires multisensory feedback. Haptic feedback,
particularly through Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS), has emerged as a promising technology to enhance VR interactivity. While EMS oers miniaturization and a
wide range of sensations, its implementation often requires complex, expensive setups
and extensive interdisciplinary knowledge. This study addresses the accessibility gap
in EMS research by developing a cost-eective, globally accessible toolkit compatible
with free, beginner-friendly software. We introduce a novel hardware solution that
integrates EMS devices, wireless Bluetooth connectivity, and head-mounted VR systems. This framework simplifies the integration process, allowing researchers to focus
on experiment design rather than technical setup. Two experiments are conducted
to validate our toolkit. Firstly, a gun recoil simulation in VR is used for comparing
three conditions namely EMS, traditional vibration motors, and no haptic feedback.
Secondly, we explore the virtual rubber hand illusion, assessing EMS’s proprioceptive
eects on body ownership in VR. Both experiments demonstrated a significant preference for the EMS-based system in terms of immersion and user experience, both
qualitatively and quantitatively. Our research not only provides a practical solution
for EMS integration in VR but also contributes to the broader discussion on user acceptance of EMS technology. By lowering the entry barriers for EMS research, this
study paves the way for more diverse applications and investigations into the potential
of EMS in human-computer interaction.
