Investigating the roles of tactile/force feedback in motor control

Research Question:

Can people perform motor tasks faster and more accurate when both tactile and force feedback are available?

The usability test investigated tactile feedback in motor control of arm movements via a haptic video game controller

The results will be used to inform the development of virtual reality-based post-stroke rehabilitation devices

Background

Many treatments have been developed for stroke patients to improve upper-limb motor functions

•  conventional physical therapy
•  transcranial magnetic cortical stimulation (TMS)
• Wii remote with tactile feedback rumbling 

Methods

Conduct Usability Test of the Novint Falcon Controller

• Play Feel'n It Golf game and locate key elements of error and success

Results

COnclusion

The Novint Falcon Controller was not a sufficient application of haptic feedback because it displayed to many usability errors.

Response time and control standardization are identified as important issues game developers should consider. My paper also discusses that while companies are now interested in usability, they do not yet have a formal method of achieving it.