Exploring the Perception of Pain in Virtual Reality using Perceptual Manipulations

Exploring the Perception of Pain in Virtual Reality using Perceptual Manipulations
Gaëlle Clavelin, mickael bouhier, Wen-Jie Tseng, Jan Gugenheimer

CHI 2023: The ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Session: Late Breaking Work (LBW) Posters B

Perceptual manipulations (PMs) in Virtual Reality (VR) can steer users’ actions (e.g., redirection techniques) and amplify haptic perceptions (e.g., weight). However, their ability to amplify or induce negative perceptions such as physical pain is not well understood. In this work, we explore if PMs can be leveraged to induce the perception of pain, without modifying the physical stimulus. We implemented a VR experience combined with a haptic prototype, simulating the dislocation of a finger. A user study (n=18) compared three conditions on the perception of physical pain and physical discomfort. We observed that using PMs with a haptic device resulted in a significantly higher perception of physical discomfort and an increase in the perception of pain compared to the unmodified sensation. Finally, we discuss how perception of pain can be leveraged in future VR applications and reflect on ethical concerns.

Video teasers for papers at CHI 2023

[ericlotze]

The rubber hand/phantom hand experiment, but in VR. And j thought the “Plank Experience” was scary! This definitely seems like it yielded some good data, and worse case scenario would make one HELL of an addition to a Kid’s Science Museum!