Feedback from HTC Vive Sensors Results in Transient Performance Enhancements on a Juggling Task in Virtual Reality

Virtual reality headsets, such as the HTC Vive, can be used to model objects, forces, and interactions between objects with high perceived realism and accuracy. Moreover, they can accurately track movements of the head and the hands. This combination makes it possible to provide subjects with precise quantitative feedback on their performance while they are learning a motor task. Juggling is a challenging motor task that requires precise coordination of both hands. Professional jugglers throw objects so that the arc peaks just above head height, and they time their throws so that the second ball is thrown when the first ball reaches its peak. Here, we examined whether it is possible to learn to juggle in virtual reality and whether the height and the timing of the throws can be improved by providing immediate feedback derived from the motion sensors. Almost all participants became better at juggling in the ~30 min session: the height and timing of their throws improved and they dropped fewer balls. Feedback on height, but not timing, improved performance, albeit only temporarily.