Enhancing haptic object recognition ability through a real multisensory learning environment

Active learning, or control over the visual sensory experience during object learning, has been shown to facilitate visual object recognition in adults, relative to a unisensory passive experience. Recent research suggests adding haptics to a naturalistic visual encoding environment, creating a multisensory active experience, also facilitates object recognition relative to unisensory and multisensory conditions with visual encoding via a computer screen. Until now, this active advantage has been tested through the visual modality. To expand on the existing literatures, we tested how multisensory control of real 3D objects, direct access to sensory information, and ownership of the sensory experience affected haptic object recognition. Results revealed that multisensory direct access (sensory information provided directly through the environment, rather than through a computer screen) to object shape facilitated accuracy in a haptic test greater than only haptic information. This suggests an importance for visual information for haptic recognition, but importantly within this multisensory experience. Interestingly, the source of the visual object structure (actions viewed in the direct environment or via a computer screen) did not impact haptic recognition.